


Call the Darkness

by Higuchimon



Series: Reversal [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Completionist Big Bang, Diversity Writing Challenge, Gen, Include The Word Boot Camp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higuchimon/pseuds/Higuchimon
Summary: Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born.  Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.
Series: Reversal [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/729855
Comments: 12
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
 **Title:** Call The Darkness  
 **Characters:** Queen Bijou (OC), Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Anisha (OC)|| **Ships:** N/A  
 **Chapters:** 1-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,546|| **Total Words:** 4,546  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
 **Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

It began as it would go on – in fire and destruction, with armies marching and armies dying in droves. It began in a realm of beauty rendered into a nightmare of death and ruin, and it began with a woman, a queen, named Bijou. 

She ran. Three servants fled ahead of her, each one of them carrying a precious bundle, more valuable to her than the most flawless of diamonds, than the purest of gold, than every treasure in her vaults. 

There wasn’t anywhere they could go where she couldn’t hear shrieks of her people as they fought and fell. Whenever she passed near a window, she could see fire razing the city and parts of her castle. The castle that had stood so proud and strong for as long as her family line ruled this realm, now with the Fallen Angels’ invasion forces crawling everywhere. 

Bijou tried not to look out of the windows often. Not only was it too dangerous, risking that a stray blast of magic or a crossbow bolt or an arrow might strike her, but she could not risk that she’d be so distraught by the fall of her city that she’d fail to get them to safety. 

When she did stop, she stood before a tapestry, woven of the finest quality, displaying an image of a shimmering white dragon, with a rainbow arching over its head. The servants stopped when she did, catching their breath. None of them knew what she was about to do. She couldn’t let anyone know before now. She refused to risk the chance that anyone would tear the information from them. 

But now she stared at the tapestry and whispered a silent pray to the Great Gem God, Rainbow Dragon. 

_Please protect them. There’s nothing even you can do to protect the rest of us. But them. Take care of them. Keep them safe, no matter what._

She drew in a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and rested one hand on the image of the dragon’s snout. The words she spoke could have been understood by very few. In another time, she would have taught them to her children, when the time came, as they’d been taught to her. Now, this knowledge would die with her. 

When the final syllable fell from her lips, the tapestry faded away, revealing not a blank wall as anyone would have found if they _lifted_ the tapestry, but a stairway winding downward. She gestured to the servants. 

“Go. Keep them safe. Take them as far from here as you can and never, ever tell them where they came from. The Light will tell them, when the time is right.” 

Bijou rested one hand on each of them for a few moments, breathing each name with all the love she had for them all. Her children – the last of the royal line. 

Johan. Her oldest, the heir to the throne. 

Rune. The middle child, with a core of magic stronger than anything she’d ever seen. 

Yubel. Oh, Yubel. The Guardian born… the one who could save them all, if only they weren’t a baby… 

She fought to keep the tears from falling and did not succeed very well. But she gestured once more and the servants started downward. The last in line stared at her. 

“Stay safe, my queen,” he murmured. “Stay safe and be strong.” 

Bijou only smiled. She dared not tell them what she knew – and what they knew as well as she did. The only safety lay in her death now, and what that death would buy for her children. 

As soon as they were all three out of sight, she touched air where the image of Rainbow Dragon had been and whispered the spell that returned the tapestry there. She did not wait another moment, but gathered her courage, and hurried along to her throne room. She knew that they would be there, sooner or later, and she would ensure that her children remained safe with every breath that she took – or didn’t take. Perhaps one day they would return and restore all that was lost today. She hoped. Oh, she hoped as much as the Light of Hope itself did. 

She also hoped that the Light of Hope stayed far away and safe. The world would need Hope in days to come… 

The closer she got to the throne room, the worse the smoke and flames grew, and she stopped two corridors away as some of the younger servants fled s creaming, chased by some of the Fallen Angels’ warriors. Neither servants nor warriors noticed her, and she dared not stop, not now. She needed to occupy someone else, not these small fry. 

A single step into the throne room revealed that someone had already been there – empty save for herself, a small fire burning in one side of the room, the tapestries on the walls torn down and shredded, the carpets ripped and torn, and too much blood everywhere. Streaks of ash and flame on the walls revealed magic’s touch. Her throne alone remained unharmed – there were plenty of defensive spells keeping it and whoever sat there safe. 

So that was where she seated herself, and raised one hand to the flawless diamond set above the throne. Her power flowed through the diamond, spreading out over the entire city, and she spoke, her words echoing all over. 

“I, Bijou, Queen of Norbu, challenge whomsoever leads these troops of evil to come to my throne room. There we shall settle this face to face.” 

She refused to let an ounce of the pain she felt reveal itself in her voice. She remained seated high in her throne, her wings spread just a little – she hoped no one noticed that one of them hung just a trifle askew, battered from the fight she’d endured to get to the nursery before her children could be taken, or worse. Her gown covered the wounds on her right leg and left arm as well. She didn’t think her left arm would ever truly work properly again, and all the running she’d put her leg through likely did it no favors. 

Her features remained still, regal, and cold, however, as she awaited the arrival of her enemies. Her breathing grew slower with each moment, and she had to fight to keep her focus as her strength faded bit by bit. If they waited much longer, then what little plan she had would be for nothing. 

It might be for nothing anyway. The Fallen Angels were not weak. If she had enough strength to do this, it still didn’t mean that she could successfully defeat them. And even if she did… 

“Hello, Bijou.” She’d heard that voice before, raised in council and in argument. She turned towards the entryway, one eyebrow tilted upward at the sight that awaited her there. 

What almost everyone saw first when they gazed on Fallen Angel Lucifer were all of the wings – each one black as sin and the feathers soft as a cloud – though there were few indeed who ever touched them to learn that. He stood wrapped in black leather armor, carrying a long-bladed sword that dripped with blood and far, far worse, his white hair as flawless as every feature he bore. No one who looked at him could escape knowing why he was known as an angel. 

Though that smile of his wasn’t very angelic at all. He strolled forward, his eyes focused on Bijou. 

“Your realm has fallen,” Lucifer said, raising his sword and wiping it clean on a cloth. The blood wasn’t just red – he’d occupied himself killing anyone who stood against him, human, spirit, and monster alike. “Surrender and I might think about letting you live. At least for a while.” 

Bijou didn’t twitch for a single heartbeat. He wasn’t close enough for her to be certain. “Never. You’ll never take my realm and you won’t take me or my children.” 

Lucifer chuckled at that. “Your realm is no more. It’s a part of _my_ realm now.” He held his sword up to examine it. “Though I might let one of my brothers rule it for now. I have a few other tasks to occupy myself with.” He glanced at her, his lips curved into a deceptively beautiful smile. “Such as releasing the Darkness of Destruction.” 

Oh. That explained so _very_ much. Bijou shook her head. “Why would you want to do that?” She couldn’t even begin to wrap her head around it. She’d heard the tales all of her life of how the greatest force of ruin in the universe had been sealed for the safety of all. Why would anyone want to bring it back? 

Lucifer did not move any closer. She wanted to get him at least within hand’s reach; she didn’t think she could succeed in her goal if he were any farther. But he answered. “Because it wants me to. The Darkness calls to me, Bijou, and I am as bound to it as you are bound to Creation’s Light.” He chuckled softly. “My troops are already searching for your children. You can keep them safe if you give yourself up. They’ll only be killed – not destroyed.” 

As if that would make her feel any better. But she twitched the wing that still worked. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. They’re already gone.” Lying would always be beneath her. But she would choose what truth she told and when she told it. “Fight me, Lucifer. Magic to magic – and let the victor be chosen by that.” 

From the sweep of his wings, he was more than a little startled by her challenge – and then he started to laugh. 

“You have perhaps an hour of life left in your body. Perhaps not even that. And you think that you can defeat me?” He raised his sword and slammed it into the sheath on his back, tucked between his wings. “What a fool you are. You would have done better to keep them by your side. But if that’s truly what you want, then I have no reason to deny you. I’ll take that hour of yours and tear it right out of you.” 

Bijou tensed, gathering up all of her energy as he moved forward. “I’ll pay that hour gladly to keep you away from them and out of my realm.” 

“I don’t think so.” Lucifer spread arms and wings wide. “Strike. Strike with all of your might, Queen of Gems. Queen of Light that is no more. Do so and see what serving the Darkness has given me.” 

She wanted to tear every scrap of life Lucifer had out of his body and drive all of his brothers away from Norbu forever. She’d existed for her entire life with the Fallen Angels’ realms on her borders, standing strong to defend the rest of the world from what they claimed. To have it fall now, without any chance to rise again – she dared not. 

What she did was raise her hand, seven shades of light flaring all around her. “Ultimate Gem God! Rainbow Dragon! I call upon your life and your life to protect us all, by defeating this minion of your eternal opposite!” She thrust her hand forward, knowing she’d never make another attack like this. But to take Lucifer down… 

If anyone else had been there, they would not have been able to see a single thing as the blast of energy filled the entire room, searing everything even remotely flammable. Parts of the walls and ceiling crumbled into dust, and she slumped forward, barely able to keep herself breathing. 

_I did it. I did it._ She dragged her head up, it dropped again, and then she pulled it up once more, staring at what she’d done. She could see little more than a pile of black feathers that didn’t seem to be moving. 

She’d done it. With Lucifer’s passing, then the other Fallen Angels and their army would flee, and she could hopefully have time before _she_ passed to appoint a regent and have them find the children… 

Wings moved. Lucifer raised his head, white hair falling away from his face, a satisfied smile on his lips. 

“None of your efforts can slay me, Queen of Light,” Lucifer said as he rose to his feet. “The power of the great Darkness protects me, so that only it can ever kill me. Though that _was_ a fine effort.” 

He strolled closer. Bijou strained to summon up even a small scrap of energy and could gain nothing. Her hands clutches uselessly at the arms of her throne and there wasn’t enough air in her lungs to so much as cry out as Lucifer seized her by the throat and slammed her against the back of her throne. 

“I win.” 

And Queen Bijou, last Queen of Norbu, knew only pain for a very long time, and then knew no more. 

* * *

Lucifer dropped what was left of her – which wasn’t much – and examined the wreckage of the room. Her final attack had ruined more of it than anything he or his people had done and he had to admire her for it. She’d tried with everything she had to drive them out. It wasn’t her fault that it hadn’t worked. 

He strode over to the nearest place to look outside and see how the conquer worked out. There were still screams and cries and wailing rising from every quarter and the burning kept going merrily. He stared thoughtfully at the Temple of Light, then turned back to what had been a marble throne and after what he’d done was now little more than a pile of rocks. 

Above it the diamond still remained, light fading, and Lucifer headed back over there. He ripped it out and stared down at it – he wouldn't have been able to do that if she’d still been alive. Her children hadn’t been bonded to the gemstone, which meant that now it was his. He considered it for a few seconds before he set it on a miraculously surviving table and pulled a small, sharp dagger out of a sheath. 

The diamond, rumor had it, had been the first gemstone ever discovered in Norbu, by Bijou’s first ancestor, the first one to carry the Light of Creation. Each generation would be bonded to it, granting them all manner of magical abilities. But no longer. 

Lucifer slashed his hand and let thirteen drops of his dark red blood fall onto the diamond. The gemstone all but shuddered where it lay, then every pristine facet of it turned a deep shade of smoky black. 

“Much better,” he approved before he picked the gem up again and headed outside, spreading his wings to take off once he had enough space to do so. Reaching the Temple of Light from there took only a few wing-beats, and then he stood on the threshold. 

He’d tried to get in there before he’d gone to face Bijou. But the defenses of the place had been too strong, and every one of them centered on Bijou herself. He couldn’t imagine her precious children being anywhere else. That was where he would have sent them, if he had offspring he wished to protect above all else. 

Inside he could hear whispers and feel the presence of people and magic, the magic that centered around creation and protection. His lip curled at the very thought before he strode forward, crossing the barrier that shattered with the fading protections – now gone thanks to Bijou’s death – and the corruption of the holy diamond. 

The doors glowed in white marble with silver and gold filigree, adorned with a design of the Rainbow Dragon and a rainbow picked out in tiny gemstones. Or they did, until Lucifer blasted them open, throwing the first row of warriors who’d stood behind the doors halfway across the entryway. Lucifer strolled inside, glancing from one side to the other. 

What he saw didn’t surprise him. A lovely temple, usually kept open for all who wished to come and worship here, with a grand altar that had another statue of the dragon and rainbows above it – really, far more rainbows than any place would ever need in _his_ opinion. Lucifer examined it for a few seconds before he drew his sword and delivered a massive one-handed overhand blow to the altar. 

Statue and altar fall apart at the strike, and he could feel the power built up there already fading and shaking. How delightful. 

He’d brought warriors and mages along to enjoy themselves in the rest of the city, while he and his brothers handled the more important parts, such as the castle and the temple. So far he hadn’t seen a single warrior here who could stand up to the least of his. He’d trained them all for over a hundred years to reach this level of perfection and skill. 

Bare feet skittered over the marble floor, stopped, then scampered away. Lucifer spied a flicker of movement and followed it. Perhaps whoever this was would be bale to tell him where those royal children were. He wanted to claim them before he picked one of his brothers to act as regent here. 

It would have to be someone who could actually work hard. There would be a great deal of cleaning to do and bodies to dispose of. The temple and palace would have to be absolutely destroyed and something far more fitting put into its place. He already had a few ideas on that score. 

Ahead of him he saw who ran away from him – a little slip of a girl, with tiny fairy wings that weren’t big enough for her to fly with, wrapped up in a gown of white and gold. An acolyte most likely. She might not be able to tell him what he wanted to know, but he would find out. 

He could have caught up with her in a few moments. His longer legs and wings allowed him far greater speed than almost anyone else. But he took his time, savoring the fear that rolled off of her, growing with each breath as she cast her eyes back towards him now and then. She hurried through corridors and rooms, going upward, and as she did, a hint of curiosity tugged at him. 

She wasn't afraid. Or perhaps, she wasn’t _just_ afraid. She didn’t fear for her life, but she wanted him to keep following her. The way she kept going no matter what, not crying out for help, even when he knew they passed near people who could have at least slowed him down long enough for her to escape. 

He’d ignored all of those in the first room. They meant nothing to him, being fodder for his warriors instead of his target. Tracing her down guided him to a much wider room, that unfolded beyond a pair of columns also wrought with the emblem of the Rainbow Dragon. 

Now Lucifer halted. Something wasn’t at all right here, and he refused to lose his hard-won victory to something so simple. 

The acolyte hesitated, just on the other side of the columns. She cast a glance ahead of her and then back to him. Her wings fluttered, her hands clutching and unclutching. She took a step closer to him, then shifted back. 

She was teasing him. She waned him to follow. Her eyes shifted to the columns again and then back to him. 

Lucifer hadn’t gotten as far as he had without learning a few things. He smiled. 

_The children aren’t here. They would never let this happen if they were. Too great a chance that I would find them._

That meant he’d have to search elsewhere. But that would come later. He raised his blade one more time and this time slashed through the columns. This close he could feel the wards and spells that he cut through, and the girl ahead of him screamed as the roof began to bend downward, the floor shaking at the same time. 

Lucifer wasn’t going to just let her be crushed, though. He darted forward; whatever spells she’d wanted to drag him into tried to seize onto him and failed, not nearly enough power behind them anymore. He seized her wrist and dragged her closer to him, wings folding around her. 

“You have courage, child,” he murmured into her ear, pleased to feel her shaking against him. “I will spare your life, but there is a cost.” 

Large shimmering golden eyes turned up to him. He reached up to rest one hand in the cascade of her silver-blue hair. He did not recognize if she were of the card spirit clans, but it didn’t matter. Not anymore. 

“That price is that from now on, you belong to me. You will obey my every command for the rest of your life – which will be as long as I wish it.” 

She started to shake her head. “No!” He thought she wanted to say something else, but he didn’t care to listen. He rested one finger against her lips. 

“That’s enough.” He stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded. “Your name is Anisha.” 

Again she shook her head, jerking back from him. “My name’s -” 

Again his finger touched her lips, cutting the words off. “Your name is what I choose to call you, Anisha. I can be a pleasant master – if you obey me. If you aren't, I can make you regret that you were ever born.” 

He looked up to see others scattering here and thee, fleeing the damage that he’d caused. There wasn’t enough damage. They were, after all, still alive. 

Still holding Anisha, he rose up into the skies until he had a perfect view of the castle and the temple and most of the other important buildings. His forces could see him and cheers rose upward towards him, his name being chanted over and over, weapons waved in success. 

“Depart, my people, my brothers,” he told them, voice reaching them all. “It’s time to finish this.” 

He could hear Anisha whimpering but he had other matters to deal with. She clung to him, clearly unwilling to take her own life to escape him, and had a front row seat as powerful energy, as black as night itself, gathered at his fingertips. First one sphere, then another, rocketed downward to all of the buildings that he targeted. Then another, and another, and another. 

With each strike, the buildings shook, and all of those inside of it fled as swiftly as they could. Most of them ran right into his own people as they headed out, and those who didn’t die on their swords were stripped of their weaponry and armor, bound with chains or magic, and hurried along as Lucifer continued to rain destruction down on them all. 

Every scrap of power that he used stemmed from the great Darkness of Destruction itself. He couldn’t channel it like a _proper_ incarnation could but almost anyone could cast spells that would destroy something, if they really wanted to. What the Darkness did with his spells was increase their effects on whatever they hit. 

Which meant that he got to watch as the formerly shimmering, beautiful city died under his power, the buildings shaken down to dust, bodies rendered into nothing more than scattered bits no larger than the span of one’s hand, and anything else that he hit being much, much less. What had been a center of life, commerce, and one of the greatest bastions against the Darkness of Destruction was soon nothing more than ruins. 

Anisha sobbed, her grip on him tightening. “Why did you do that? Why are you doing any of this?” 

Lucifer chuckled as he headed to where his army camp lay. He’d likely beat his army there – his wings carried him far more swiftly than their feet could. “Because what else would I do?” 

“You don’t have to kill people and wreck everything! Queen Bijou didn’t! You don’t have to!” 

“Perhaps I don’t have to,” Lucifer acknowledged. “But I enjoy doing it. And if you weren't aware, Bijou is dead. She died screaming, in fact, and begging me to end it.” At least he liked to think she had. The noises that she’d made at the end weren’t very coherent. He chose to interpret them as being begging. He’d even been kind enough to do so. 

Anisha sobbed, beating one hand against him. She could only do it with one hand; her other remained wrapped tight around him, keeping herself from falling. Tears coursed down her cheeks and her wings beat uselessly. 

Lucifer landed just outside of his tent. Of all of them there, it was the largest and most luxurious from the outside. On the inside – it was even larger and far more luxurious than one might have expected. Enchantments endowed the tent with multiple rooms, and he headed into the more private ones, Anisha scrambling after him, trembling. 

He guided her to the bathing area and gestured to the sunken pool. “Clean yourself up,” he ordered. “And get rid of that ridiculous outfit. I’ll have proper clothes for your new station provided.” 

She stared at him, trembling. “What do you want me for?” She clasped her hands in front of her, eyes so large and terrified. 

“We'll find out what you’re good for. For now, I want you to do as you’re told.” He indicated the sunken pool again, then turned and headed out. He would need a bath of his own later, but before then, he wanted to get matters settled with his brothers, and get a few ideas for what could happen next. 

Lucifer wanted to have some sort of plan ready when they returned to the Temple of Darkness. The Darkness of Destruction would _want_ to have some sort of plan, if the children hadn’t been recovered. 

Where had she sent them? That was one thing he intended to use his new slave for – gleaning any and all information about what Bijou did with her offspring. If she knew nothing, and it wasn't impossible that was the case, then he would have to interrogate the other captives. At least they didn’t have to return to their own city right away. They had time. 

Just not nearly enough of it. They had less than a year before the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, and the night where the Darkness spoke most clearly. He could speak to the Darkness at any time, and it spoke to him whenever it chose, but on that night, the power of darkness would be at its height. 

_Something will happen then. But I don't know what._

The Darkness of Destruction didn’t tell him everything – he was their most loyal servant, its hands in this world when it did not have a vessel of its own, and it still kept matters from him. But Lucifer held faith strong and true that he would be told what was necessary in the fullness of time. 

And until then, he had his brothers and his army to question and find out anything that he’d missed for himself. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I am so very excited for this! So many ideas that I’m going to put into practice! Also, Anisha means “nightless, sleepless” in Sanskrit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
 **Title:** Call The Darkness  
 **Characters:** Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Fallen Angel Asmodeus (OC), Fallen Angel Desire (OC), Audhild (OC), Sophia(OC), Sanela (OC), Anisha (OC)|| **Ships:** N/A  
 **Chapters:** 2-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,556|| **Total Words:** 9,102  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
 **Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

One wouldn’t have expected the interior of Lucifer’s tent to have not only multiple chambers but a set of stairs and another set of rooms at the top of those stairs. Most people didn’t realize the amount of magic that he had access to, or his preferences for traveling in luxury. He saw no reason not to have the same level of comfort when he was out in the field as he did when he was ensconced in his castle. 

So he strolled up the stairs – crafted of black stone and overlain with a scarlet carpet edged in silver – and entered one of the chambers, filled for the most part with a wide round table and with several chairs set around it. The table itself had a silver sphere in the center of it, with a shimmering image of the local realms unfolding from it. Small images of the rulers of those realms reflected there if one stared long enough. 

Now, Lucifer settled into his chair – which was by far the most opulent and had a half dozen cushions stuffed with angel feathers and covered in black satin – and removed the corrupted diamond from one pocket. He admired it for a few moments, then leaned forward to tap it against the sphere in the center. The image of the realm of Norbu appeared in detail, showing not just the capital city and the castle but all the other settlements that spread out over the land. 

Norbu had been one of the largest and most prosperous of the realms on the continent. It would take a rider at an average speed perhaps two weeks to cross from one end to the other, though magic or wings made the trip much faster. Lucifer examined what the enchanted map showed him – the image of Bijou faded away as the corrupted diamond’s power flowed into the land and he asserted his dominance. Then his own image took place of prominence and he smiled. 

“Are we done here?” 

Lucifer didn’t look up at the voice. He remained focused on the images spread out before him, as Fallen Angel Asmodeus entered the room and took his place at Lucifer’s right hand. 

“For the most part. I’ve destroyed the palace and the temple, but there are still these places.” Lucifer indicated half a dozen cities, each a few thousand people strong. “Whatever remains of their army will probably end up there.” He smiled. “I can’t wait to find them.” 

Asmodeus rolled his eyes. “The children? They managed to get away from you?” 

“For now. I’ll enjoy myself hunting them down.” Lucifer relaxed in his chair, spreading all of his wings as he considered his options. “But I’m going to need you to do a few things for me.” 

That got a slight tilt of his brother’s head. “And what is that?” He’d served Lucifer for centuries and he knew that Lucifer trusted him at least as much as he trusted anyone else in the world. Which didn’t necessarily mean he really was trusted. Only that Lucifer currently found him more useful alive than dead. 

“Which of our brothers do you think would be best suited to establishing our rule here?” Lucifer examined his fingernails carefully before he turned to Asmodeus. “There are too many good resources here to let it just go to ruin and some of the survivors could be useful for further plans.” 

Asmodeus frowned. “What exactly do you have in mind?” 

“It depends exactly on what sort of abilities the survivors have – and who they are.” Lucifer told him. “Someone has to know where she sent the children.” A soft laugh rippled out of him. “If only she’d trusted Ixtam enough to take them.” 

That got a laugh from Asmodeus too. “Maybe she could tell what Ixtam is. Could the Light’s blood do that? Detect a shapeshifter?” 

“Not that I know of,” Lucifer mused before he shrugged. “Where is Ixzel? Has she finished her job?” 

“The last I saw her, she was tearing through one of those guard groups that tried to get in our way. She’s probably taken care of them by now. Don’t know what she’s doing now.” Asmodeus gestured to a servant that peeked in the room and ordered drinks. 

Lucifer’s eyes strayed back to the map, searching for all of those places where the three children might have been sent. He’d planned his strike carefully – if the children had been too old, they would have been able to hide among the people with ease. At this age, they required too much care and very specific needs. That would make it easier to locate them. 

At least that was what he wanted. He’d planned for that – before making his strike on the capital city itself, he’d had his armies surround and crush each of the smaller villages and towns in the area. It would take someone carrying children days to get to anywhere his forces didn’t rule, and he already had spies in every settlement that he could find. There wouldn’t be any way that they could escape. 

And once he had them – he could not help the sly, cruel smile that twisted up his lips. The Darkness of Destruction demanded all three of them. He would give his master what had been demanded of him. 

One by one the rest of his siblings that he’d brought along entered the chamber, taking their proper seats after acknowledging him. This wasn’t their entire family – several more were busy elsewhere and could not be spared their tasks even for the amusement of thoroughly crushing the center of Creation’s Light. 

The last of them all did not merely acknowledge him. Fallen Angel Zerato knelt at Lucifer’s feet, whispering the most devoted _master_ that Lucifer heard from anyone else. Lucifer caressed the side of his face. 

“Take your seat,” he ordered, “and report. What have you done to please me?” 

Zerato obeyed at once. “There isn’t a scrap of resistance left in the city, my master,” the former angel reported. All of his attention focused on Lucifer. That was the way that he’d been trained and Lucifer approved. He should have – he was the one who’d trained Zerato. 

“Very good. I’m quite proud of you.” Lucifer wasn’t surprised to see Zerato’s eyes light up at the praise. He turned his attention to the others. “Well?” 

Each of them reported – they’d all had the same mission, to destroy every scrap of resistance by soldiers or sorcerers in the entire city and to leave nothing at all behind without a good reason. What few survivors there were had survived because one of his slings decided they wanted a trophy of some kind. 

Ixtam reported last. “I tried to get her to tell me where she wanted to send them, but she refused.” Her lips quirked. “I never felt she knew who I was, but just that she didn’t want to tell anyone.” A sudden thought flickered across her features. “Or perhaps...” 

Lucifer leaned forward. “What?” IF she’d realized anything that could be of use, then he wanted to know about it. 

“She might not have known herself. What I managed to see was that there were three servants who carried the children and I suspect she had a secret exit somewhere to get them out of here without being seen. But if she gave no orders to take them anywhere in particular, then we couldn’t rip that information from her or from anywhere else.” 

Slow nods of acknowledgment circled the table. Lucifer had to agree there; it made sense, though he didn’t like it very much. Her protectiveness of her children went beyond what he’d first expected. 

“I’m still going to keep looking for them. We know where they _can’t_ go and my servants are awaiting orders everywhere else.” A smile played over his lips. “We will have them. _I_ will have them.” 

No one argued about that. Zerato did nod but he spent his entire existence longing to fulfill every one of Lucifer’s wishes and wants. 

Lucifer picked up a cup of wine and drained it in a single draught, considering his options. He glanced at Asmodeus, one eyebrow raised in time to a twitch of his wing. His second in command turned his gaze over the group fathered, then tilted his head towards the one directly across from him. 

“Fallen Angel Desire,” Lucifer acknowledged his brother, “chief of my armies – choose a successor from among our kindred. I have a new task for you.” 

Desire drew himself up as much as he could. “And what would that task be, my brother?” He seldom removed his helmet – rumor had it he was even fairer than Lucifer and his name was well-chosen. If anyone saw him without his helmet, he’d have to do little more than gesture for them to gladly enter his bed. 

Lucifer had seen him without his helmet. He was not entirely convinced that Desire was more attractive than he was, but he could testify that his brother was skilled between the sheets. He’d tested that out many times. 

“You are to rule Norbu on my behalf. The treasury hasn’t been uncovered yet – get on that. Make certain that the survivors are sorted out and anyone who has a useful skill is put to use that skill for our benefit. Anyone who is of the royal bloodline sand _isn’t_ one of Bijou’s children should be brought to me as soon as possible – dead or alive.” He waved one hand. “Other than that, rule here as you see fit. You’ve earned this.” 

Desire bent his head at once, his shoulders tilted forward and scarlet wings bent at a familiar angle – one that told Lucifer what Desire wished for celebrating. 

He awarded his brother a hint of a smile and a nod. He could use a little relaxation himself. 

* * *

Together the three of them made their way through the underground tunnels that the stairs led to, each holding the tiny baby in their arms. The three didn’t know one another – they didn’t even know their names. What they all knew, more than anything else, was that they held the future of the world in their arms. 

“Where do we go?” The one who held Johan asked. She glanced down at the young heir in her arms. He slept right now, but what would he do when he woke up and he wasn’t in the familiar nursery? When his mother wouldn’t come, no matter how hard he cried? 

“Out of here,” the one who held Yubel declared gruffly. “As far from Norbu as we can get.” 

The third stared at the other two. “Away from Norbu? But – where can we go hat’s away? You heard the reports the same as I did – the same as the queen did. The Fallen Angels are _everywhere_. Where can we go so they’ll be safe?” 

The first one considered, still moving forward. These corridors were well made and protected; even if an earthquake shook the castle above, they would not be harmed. The magic that crafted them was that strong. 

“I’ve never let the city,” the second one murmured, traces of fear in her voice. “I don’t even know where we _could_ go. What’s out there?” 

“Death. Destruction.” The third one muttered. “And we have to go through it all if we want to protect them.” 

“How do we even do that? We’re _servants_ , not warriors. I’ve never had children. I don’t know how to raise children. I made beds! I brought the queen what she needed!” The second one snapped. “That’s what we all did! I never even _wanted_ children!” 

The first jerked her head. “Quiet. We’re almost out of here.” She turned her attention to the end of the corridor. All three fell silent and started to approach the end with as quiet a tread as they could manage. To most people they still would have been loud, but they still did their best. 

The other end of the corridor was the mouth of a cave, covered in vines that they moved aside. When they crossed the exit, the vines settled in such a fashion that if one hadn’t known what lay behind it, they could not have found it. 

Now ahead of them there spread a glorious valley of brilliant summer green grass, with thick groves of tall cedars, circled by bushes that would bear berries in the correct time. Mountains rose up behind them – but there were no mountains near Queen Bijou’s capital city. A river tumbled down from the mountains, with the faintest hint of a rainbow visible in the mist it cast up. 

All three took that as a good sign – the rainbow was, after all, one of the sacred symbols of Rainbow Dragon. 

The one who carried Johan took a few careful steps beyond, eyes shifting here and there. “Do you hear anything? Like people? Or fighting?” 

They listened. Not a single sound of either of those came to their ears. The one with Yubel stared up at the mountains and began to shake her head. 

“Those are mountains. The closest mountains are _days_ away. How did we get here so fast?” 

“Magic,” the one with Rune declared without a scrap of hesitation. “The Queen must have used her magic to get us as far away as possible.” 

None of them could refute this, and even if they’d waned to, Johan shifted, stirred, opened jewel-bight eyes and blinked before he opened his mouth and started to cry a thin, hungry wail. 

“Come on, let’s find somewhere we can rest and feed them,” the one who held him said. “The sooner, the better.” 

The one who carried Yubel started to take a few steps before they halted again and stared at the baby burden. “And I think we should check to see if we have clean napkins for them.” 

All three carried packs given to them by the queen along with the children, ones that had been kept in readiness ever since the first hints of the Fallen Angels’ attacks arrived on the wings of tiny fairies. The packs were enchanted, carrying far more than one might have thought from the outer look of them, and none of them had bothered to see what they carried. There hadn’t been enough time, not yet. 

“A place to rest and feed them first,” the first declared. “Let’s try this way.” She started again, watching from side to side. She’d heard stories in her youth about the mountains, though she’d never been there herself. What she remembered most vividly from those stories were the tales of dragons – not just the Great Gem God, but other dragons that lived here, keeping vast treasures and living in alliance with Queen Bijou and her family for time out of mind. 

_Fat lot of good being allied to the dragons did them, though._ She did her best not to let her anger show as they trudged onward and she did what she could to keep Johan calmed down. The more he sniffled and cried for food or a clean napkin or whatever else he needed, the more Yubel and Rune did the same thing. The triplets, it was said, were connected in ways that sisters and brothers who weren’t born together could not, would not understand. So far, she believed it. 

The more she walked, the more she noticed a few odd points. Or what she thought were odd – such as no sign at all of small predators. No sign of foxes or wildcats or anything else. She wasn't sure if she could have identified them if they were there at all, but everything she’d ever read told her there should have been something, and there wasn’t. 

But there had to be something that ate the deer and rabbits and everything else that could be meat here. That was something else she didn’t know – what could be used for food here. She’d always gotten her food from the marketplace as a child or eating in the royal kitchens once she took up her position there. She wasn’t certain of where the marketplace or the kitchen got it from or what to do with it when they did get it, and she doubted very much that her two companions could figure it out either. 

Ahead of them at last the trees thinned out and in the clearing ahead she saw a flat rock. Quickly she hurried there, the others hot on her heels, and there they settled the babies before taking off the packs and starting to sort through them. She would have guessed magic had been involved in the packing even if they hadn’t already known – there wasn’t any way that all the items she saw in there could have fit otherwise. But she first pulled out the means to clean and change Johan, then give him a bottle of food. 

It took hours to get all of that done for all three, and by the time the sun started to set, the three servants were exhausted. The first one raised her head briefly to look at the other two, something dawning on her. 

“My name’s Audhild,” she said at last. None of the three knew each other – that needed to change. They would be together for who knew how long – perhaps the rest of their lives. There wasn’t any real question on that. Queen Bijou charged them to keep the triplets together no matter what, short of their actual deaths. 

“Sophia,” the one who’d carried Rune told them. Her hair stuck to her forehead in sweat-streaked clumps, but Audhild thought it was a sort of pale green in color. Perhaps she had spirit blood in her ancestry it was certainly more attractive than her own dark brown braid. 

For a few moments the third said nothing at all, until she finally grunted a single word. “Sanela.” 

Silence fell between the three again. Audhild tried hard to keep her eyes open, but she’d been awake since dawn, rushing around attempting to help in whatever ways she could before the forces of the Fallen Angels broke through the city defenses and the queen recruited her to be a guardian for young Prince Johan. She thought Sanela and Sophia were as exhausted – especially when she heard a soft snore coming from Sophia just minutes later. 

_We should set a watch – or something._ The thought passed through her mind but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything at all about it. Her limbs were too heavy with weariness right now, and her eyes closed, and she slept. 

In the forest around them, a pair of eyes watched quietly – and had any of them been awake to see those eyes, perhaps they might have realized that they watched from very, very high above. 

* * *

She wrapped herself in one of the warmed towels she find, eyeing the pile of dark purple clothes piled on the rack with distaste. She wanted to put her own clothes back on, but she wasn’t certain where those were. There had only been so long she could resist having a hot bath, and she’d neither seen who took away her proper clothes or left these here. 

The Fallen Angel had said that he would have “proper clothes” brought in. She’d not thought then that it would mean her own clothes vanished. Though perhaps she should have. 

She worried at her lip and cast a glance at the door. Where was he? What did he really want from her? 

Did he know who she was? 

Her wings fluttered the more she worried and she fought to keep them under control and hidden. She tightened her grip on the towel and cast repeated glances at the entryway. He’d come back sooner or later, and she doubted he’d be happy to see her standing there like this. 

But that also meant putting on those clothes. Her deepest soul rejected the very thought. 

A polite cough and she whirled to see a tiny imp standing in the door – green of skin and with far too bright, aware eyes. She’d never seen an imp like that before. It smiled a smile that held far too many teeth at her. It had a long horn in the center of its forehead as well, one sharp as a knife. That horn would make a formidable weapon if need be. 

“Yes?” She asked, gripping her hands together underneath the towel. “He-he’s not here if you’re looking for him.” She did not want to say his name. Saying it would make it far too real. 

“I know. Lucifer-sama ordered me to guide you to where you’re to stay until he has more time to deal with you. Put your clothes on.” The imp nodded towards the pile. She stared first at the creature, then at them again, not moving. “You will either wear those or nothing at all. Your old rags have been disposed of.” 

“Those weren’t rags,” she snapped, “And I don’t want to wear those!” It wasn’t really the color of the clothes, nor even the material – she’d not checked, but it looked like good quality velvet, which she’d not worn since achieving her adulthood and entering the Temple. She’d grown used to wearing the simple linens provided there, with silk for more important occasions. 

The imp just stared at her. “Those clothes or nothing.” 

Somehow, the idea of wandering through the Fallen Angel’s tent without a stitch more than a towel on wasn’t one she liked. Pressing her lips together and thinking words that every other priest she’d known in the temple would have sternly corrected her for thinking, she dressed. As she’d thought, it was dark purple velvet, trimmed in pale green, and it fit reasonably well, the hem coming down below her knees and the sleeves stretching down past her elbows but not quite to her wrists. A slender braided belt tightened it around her waist and there were soft shoes to go with it. 

Once she was dressed, the imp turned around. “Follow me.” 

Not having any other options, she did so, casting glances everywhere to get an idea of where she was and how to get out of there if she got the chance. She didn’t know when that chance might be, since they were right in the heart of the Fallen Angel camp, and she didn’t even know where to go if she did get out. He’d wrecked the entire castle and the city, leaving so very little behind. She’d seen so many people dead, rendered into little more than dust for the most part. 

She had to hold back her tears at that. Crying wouldn’t bring them back. Crying hadn’t ever brought anyone back and she determined that no matter what he did to her, she wouldn’t cry. And he would do horrible things to her. She didn’t doubt that. He’d already started by taking her captive instead of killing her with everyone else. Then he’d had the temerity to try to change her _name_. 

She would, she decided, not let him know what her real name was. If he didn’t already know it, then he didn’t need to know. If he knew who she was, then whatever he had in mind would probably be worse than what he _already_ had in mind. 

So for now, she would let him think that he’d convinced her that her name was Anisha. 

_That means I have to start answering to that._ She shuddered, hating the very thought. But she hated the alternatives even more. 

Her eyes hardened, though, as another thought occurred to her. _If he thinks that I’m adapting – that I’ve surrendered – that I will do what he wants...he might let his guard down._

She liked that thought. She liked it a _great_ deal. If she could get him to trust her enough not to watch his back quite so much – well, those wings would look so much better ripped off and bleeding, and perhaps a dagger buried right in the center of his back. 

It was only what a monster like him deserved. 

No, not a monster. She’d met monsters. Some of them were quite pleasant and her best friend had been one of those referred to as a monster. 

Her heart twisted at the thought of her friend, no more among the living, fallen at the defense of the city gates. There probably wasn’t even a shred of hair left of them. 

She didn’t know what a good word would be, but regardless, that really was all that he deserved, and she would see to it that he got it, no matter what the cost to herself was. 

Even if it ended up costing her own life. 

* * *

Lucifer moved the council from the war room to the dining table. They’d already covered most of the pertinent information anyway and he wanted to think about other matters than wars and the rewards of war. Zerato remained attentive and obedient, while Desire situated himself at Lucifer’s right hand where he could not be ignored. 

Lucifer didn’t intend to ignore him, but Desire could get quite needy under the right circumstances. The eldest of the Fallen Angels had long since grown used to this. Desire would settle down after they’d romped together for a while and even more so once he settled into ruling his new realm. 

“You can keep a third of the army here,” he told Desire, “and a third of the mage troops. Plus whatever else you need from support, as long as I don’t need them myself.” 

Desire nodded at once, though he didn’t let himself be distracted by the requirements of his new station. “I’ll send for anyone that I need from home once I know what I need.” He nibbled at some of the delicacies set on the table and sipped at his wine. He examined it for a moment before glancing to Lucifer. “This is from Kuragari, isn’t it?” 

“That it is. I have the only supply of it.” Lucifer sipped his own goblet, purest gold set with fine gemstones. He’d claimed this as one of his prizes during the ransacking of Bijou’s castle. Excellent work indeed. 

And quite fitting to drink the wine of Kuragari from. The legendary lost island realm, once the home of the bloodline of the Darkness of Destruction, had once exported its wines all over the world. Rumor had it that Kuragari’s rulers used that to set up lines for their armies to invade and take over a huge portion of the world. They’d certainly used the exports to slip their spies into various nations to gather information and weaken their targets before invasion. 

Of course, the Lights of Hope and Creation hadn’t let _that_ last for long and the empire of Kuragari only lasted a scant three hundred years before it collapsed, the home island invaded and the grand bloodline of Destruction slaughtered to the last child. 

What Lucifer did now was only the right and proper revenge for that. Of course, a thousand years had passed between then and now, but the Darkness of Destruction had a very long memory, and even longer goals. The empire would rise again, as would the old blood, and Lucifer, who shared that blood, looked forward to that day. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Every single person here will relate to Juudai’s future existence in some fashion. Some more than others, of course.


	3. Chapter 3

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
 **Title:** Call The Darkness  
 **Characters:** Audhild (OC), Sophia (OC), Sanela (OC), Alexandrite Dragon (OC), Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Fallen Angel Desire (OC), Lightlord Angel Cherubim (OC), Holy Elf (OC)|| **Ships:** N/A  
 **Chapters:** 3-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,536|| **Total Words:** 13,628  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
 **Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

She heard before she saw. Before she even properly realized that she was awake, even. What she wanted to do was pull the blanket over her head and go back to sleep, ignoring the sniffles and the wailing. She was the queen’s servant; she answered when the _queen_ called her, not when the wails of one of the tiny royal children pierced her sleep. 

A tiny thought wriggled its way into her: she should not have heard the whimpering. Her quarters weren’t anywhere near the royal nursery and at most she should have heard the sounds of the other servants as they got up and started their days. 

A breath later, another sliver of thought worked in: she wasn’t in her bed. Her bed was soft and warm, with the blanket that she’d knitted herself spread out over it. She had a soft pillow, too, or she should have. Now whatever was under her head wasn’t soft at all. 

Best to open her eyes and find out what was going on. She dragged them open and blinked a few times, trying to wrap her head around why she was in the woods. 

Then it all crashed back down on her – the Fallen Angels’ invasion, being chosen by Queen Bijou to guard young Yubel, fleeing with Sophia and Audhild, ending up here. 

She groaned and wanted to throw herself back down. If she closed her eyes again, surely she’d wake up once again in her proper bed and have only a day of her ordinary work, not this nightmare, to live through. 

Something touched her side and she glared, turning to see Sophia looking down at her. 

“Get up,” the other servant said, not unkindly. “We have to get moving. We don’t want to stay here.” 

“Why not?” Sanela grumbled before she started to push herself to her feet. “What’s wrong with here?” 

It was Audhild who answered, from where she was feeding Johan. “Because we don’t know how far we are from home, which means we don’t know where the Fallen Angels are, and they’re _going_ to look for these three.” 

And of course, keeping them safe was their highest priority. Sanela brushed herself off, wished she knew where her comb was, and headed to her pack to get out food for Yubel. Each of them took care of the one they’d carried, though Sanela suspected they’d want to learn to trade off eventually. Just in case. 

The triplets were absolutely adorable, of course, even if their personalities at this moment seemed to consist of “take in food, push out waste”. They weren’t even six months old, so Sanela wasn’t really expecting much from them. 

“What do we do with them when we get where we’re going?” Sanela asked, staring down into Yubel’s eyes. Yubel stared back at her, a fierceness lurking behind those eyes evident even at this size. “I mean – they have to learn things, don’t they? What do they teach royalty?” She’d never known that. She knew how to take care of them, to an extent. They needed food and to be kept clean and warm, and protected from anything that would hurt them. Beyond that, her knowledge about what to do with small people ended. 

Sophia carefully tucked Rune back into his carry-sack. He yawned and waved his tiny fists around, fidgeting. She looked over at the others. “How to read and write and math, I guess. History?” She worried for a moment. “Dueling?” 

“Combat skills of every kind,” Audhild agreed. She tucked Johan into his carry-sack as well. “What we need is a city of some sort. Somewhere we can blend into the populace.” She traced a finger through Johan’s blue curls. “Somewhere where no one’s going to look askance at them for their looks.” 

“We can’t stay in Norbu,” Sanela pointed out. “The Fallen Angels are going to be everywhere.” The longer she stayed awake, the more her brain engaged and she considered their options, or lack thereof. “And it’s probably not a good idea to stay too close, either.” She hated to think how much this sounded like old fairy tales of long lost heirs turning back up at the last second to save their fallen realms. 

Sophia leaned against the trunk of a tree and closed her eyes. “Let’s get - _can_ we get passage of a ship to one of the other continents? There’s a lot of trade out there, isn’t it? We can go there, raise them, and they return one day. That’s what Queen Bijou wanted, wasn’t it?” 

Sanela wasn’t sure about that herself – all they’d been told was to keep them safe. Whether they were ‘meant’ to return and overthrow the Fallen Angels she didn’t know. 

“We could ask a soothsayer or a mage of some sort,” Audhild suggested. “One of those might be able to give us some sort of help.” 

“Why don’t we ask a dragon, instead?” Sanela asked with a snort. She waved one hand towards the mountains. “We’re supposed to be in their territory and the dragons are supposed to be the queen’s allies, right? So why not ask them?” 

Sophia shivered. “Because we don’t know where they are? And don't dragons… eat people?” 

“Only if the people try to attack us first.” A quiet, calm voice that wasn’t any of theirs spoke. All three scrambled to their feet from where they’d rested, staring in every direction. “Look up.” 

Audhild saw first. She cried out softly, eyes wide, at the sight of the long, slender dragon curled around the top of a broad-branched tree, staring down at them. Gems of many kinds gleamed from the scales, refracting back the morning sunlight as it lanced through the trees. She took a stumbling step back, then wrenched herself over to Johan. 

“Who are you? What do you want?” She stood over the small child in the best approximation of a defensive posture she could manage. 

The dragon didn’t move. Sanela thought it looked more than a little amused at them. “I want to know why the heirs of Queen Bijou are in the care of three servants instead of with their mother. What has happened to Norbu?” It’s head dropped a fraction. “We’ve not heard from there in weeks.” 

Sanela tensed, hovering as much over Yubel as Audhild did over Johan and Sophia did over Rune. “It was invaded by the Fallen Angels. We’re – we believe that Queen Bijou is dead.” She could think of no other fate that evil Lucifer would have granted her. If there were worse fates, she didn’t want to think about them. 

The dragon's claws tightened around the tree it clung to. “The Fallen Angels. That would explain why we’ve heard nothing. They likely blocked communication between us.” Slowly the great head shook. “I’ll have to speak to the elders about this.” Then it looked more closely towards them. “You must come with me. The children will be safe with us. As will you.” 

“But who _are_ you?” Sophia asked, voice thin and squeaking. “What’s your name? How did you find us?” 

“You may call me Opal. I am an Alexandrite Dragon. And I found you because you’re in my territory. I smelled you last night and found you then.” The dragon leaned down closer, then in a quick, sleek move leaped down to join them in the clearing, perched on that great rock. All three jumped, but Opal did nothing else save reach their head closer towards Johan. 

Johan reached one tiny hand out and rested it on the dragon’s snout. Opal chuckled, an odd sound in Sanela’s mind. “Hello, little one. I’d hoped to meet you, but not like this.” Opal stared harder at Johan, then shifted their gaze to the other two. “Yes. Come along; it’s not a hard trip to the sacred caves.” 

“You’re a dragon,” Sanela pointed out. “Nothing is a hard trip for you.” 

Opal laughed, a great rumbling noise this time. “You’re right on that. Come. Get on my back. I’ll take you there myself. It will be faster.” 

The three of them cast glances among themselves, then one by one gathered up all of their possessions and started to climb onto the dragon as it waited there. The scales were hard and uncomfortable beneath them, and Sanela knew she’d never done well with heights. So as Opal spread great wings, Sanela closed her eyes and tried not to think too much about what was spread out beneath them. 

From the way Sophia squeaked and the gasp of wonder from Audhild, she decided that was a very good idea. She kept her eyes closed and her arms curved around Yubel as much as she could. At least until she heard a small noise coming from the baby and cracked one eye to check that all was well. 

Yubel’s hands waved in glee, the most vivid expression of joy that Sanela had ever seen the usually serious baby possess before. 

_… Yubel likes flying._ Sanela shuddered, shook her head, and closed her eyes again. As long as the babies were safe, nothing else mattered. If Yubel liked flying, that wasn’t her concern. She’d stick to the ground, where feet belonged. 

* * *

Lucifer’s wings twitched briefly before he opened his eyes. Unlike many people, he transitioned from sleep to awake fairly quickly, and now as he woke, he smiled and reached out to run one hand down Desire’s crimson wing. Desire twisted under his touch but didn’t open his eyes. 

“Good morning,” Lucifer purred, keeping up his caress. There were many ways that he enjoyed starting his day and this was just one of them. “Did you sleep well?” 

Desire grumbled and shifted a little – but more to open up to Lucifer than anything else. “I always do when I’m with you.” 

Of course he did. Lucifer exhausted him like no one else did. Lucifer was one of the few who could wear Desire out to the point he slept soundlessly for hours at a time. 

Lucifer continued to stroke, knowing full well that Desire’s wings were some of hist most vulnerable points. Granted, There wasn’t a spot on Desire that wasn’t vulnerable – it was why he wore armor the way that he did. He lusted after battle as much as sex and when he wanted one, he preferred not to be distracted by the other. 

Slowly Desire opened his eyes, licking his lips at the sight of Lucifer over him. “Is this what you want?” 

“Do you have to ask?” Lucifer smirked, one hand sliding away from the sensitive sprawl of crimson wings to brush down Desire’s chest to his waist. “I certainly don’t have to ask if _you_ want this, do I?” 

Desire’s answer came after Lucifer’s hand drifted further down and wasn’t really verbal at all, though it was quite loud. Lucifer hadn’t bothered to set up any noise-dampening shields before they’d bedded down the night before. He saw no reason for people not to know what he was capable of. 

There were even times when those who heard him indulge himself with Zerato or Desire or one of the others offered themselves to him as well, aware of what sex with him could be like and anticipating it. He saw no reason not to indulge himself. 

By the time the sun rose high enough to slide lances of light into the bedroom, Lucifer wore them both out enough that they drifted into a brief slumber, broken only when one of his imps entered the chamber, carrying breakfast for two. 

He eyed the imp for a few moments. Imps tended to look alike to him more often than they didn’t. He thought this was the one he’d assigned to his newest slave. 

“Did you take Anisha to her room?” 

The imp bowed down at once, still holding the tray of food over its head. “Yes, Lucifer-sama. She was quite stubborn, of course. But she obeyed.” 

“Good.” Lucifer took the tray and settled it on the bed between himself and Desire. He would see to her later; he looked forward to putting her through her paces that night. Perhaps he’d even share her with Desire later; she would have to be exhausted a few times before she really learned her place, he thought. She read to him as the stubborn type. 

But before then he had other matters to take care, such as getting Desire set up in his new fiefdom and conducting at least part of the search for Bijou’s spawn. Reviewing the troops wouldn’t hurt either. They would need to be praised properly. He wanted to check on the other prisoners, too. He’d seen one or two that he wanted to claim for his own. 

Overall, taking over a country required quite a lot of effort. No matter how often he did it, there were always so many things that needed to be done. 

Desire started to eat, tracing his fingers alongside of Lucifer’s wings with his free hand. “Do you have anywhere else in mind after this?” 

“A few.” Lucifer ignored the imp waiting in favor of sating his hunger and getting his lust aroused once again. Desire was very good at that. But he still kept at least part of his attention on the conversation. “I want to get it all sorted out here first, though.” He drummed his fingers for a few seconds. “Getting to Hope would be quite a bit harder than this, though. Creation’s always been so – evident.” 

So it had always been. Creation ruled Norbu – or had before the day before – and existed for as far back as history spun. But no one knew where Hope lived – Hope remained undercover, wandering through the lands, passing from person to person without a trail of any kind. Lucifer looked forward to the day he could snuff it out entirely. 

Desire paused in his efforts to drain a cup of juice and have another. “And then?” 

Lucifer breathed in a soft sigh of pleasure. “And then I return home to speak with the Darkness.” He wasn’t entirely certain if that pleasure was for what Desire did or because of the thought of communing with the Great darkness. He wasn’t certain if it mattered. Both pleased him greatly in different ways. 

“What’s it like?” Desire asked. He didn’t share that blood in enough measure to make that communion possible. Only Lucifer, of them all, could enter the presence and be aware of what the force of destruction wished of them. 

Lucifer considered the question before he slowly started to shake his head. “There are no words.” How could there be? How could there be words to express the sensation of being in touch with such power? With such overwhelming force? It was like trying to talk about speaking to an earthquake or a volcanic eruption or a tidal wave. Perhaps some could – but Lucifer wasn’t one of them. 

He finished up his breakfast. Thinking about the Darkness brought to mind all that he needed to do today and the sooner he got that out of the way, then the sooner he’d once more stand in that overwhelming presence. 

_If I can tell them that I destroyed the entire line of Creation..._ His heart beat faster at that. He knew that doing so wouldn’t be the complete end of Creation’s Line – that wasn’t possible for any of the four great forces. But the power that infused them would have to wait a minimum of one generation before they could find someone who could carry it. 

_But if I could find the genealogy charts..._ Though that might not be possible anymore. He’d done a very good job of destroying every bit of the castle and the temple and those were the two places it was most likely for the records to have been kept. 

Although – there was his new slave. He needed to find out exactly what she knew and it wasn’t impossible she could assist there. He’d probably have to rip the information out of her mind. If he did that, it would make her a great deal more co operative when he was finished. He’d never met a person who wasn’t _extremely_ co operative once he finished tearing through their minds. 

He would deal with that later, though. He had a very long to-do list to take care already. 

“Start picking who you want to keep with you,” he instructed Desire as he sent away the remains of breakfast and reached for his clothes. “Pick who you want unless you know that I want them.” 

Desire nodded, also reaching for his clothes. Lucifer paused for a moment, then leaned over to press his lips against Desire’s. His brother leaned into it at once, arms slipping around him in a warm embrace before they broke apart. It might be a while before they encountered one another like this, they both knew. Lucifer had duties to deal with and Desire had a new realm to set up. 

“Are you going to keep it named Norbu?” Lucifer asked, pausing in the doorway as the thought occurred to him. “It’s your right to change the name now.” His lips curved for a second. “And I really should do something about those dragons before I forget about it. They’re not going to be happy that we claimed this place.” 

“Get one of our dragons to help you,” Desire suggested. “We have a few who would be useful, I’m sure.” A smile of his own twisted his lips. “I think I’ll change it. Something more _suitable_ to one of our realms, don’t you think?” 

“Any ideas?” 

“Nothing as of yet.” Desire stretched carefully, wings spread out, and Lucifer did not fail to admire the view. “But I’ll message you when I do know. I think I’ll have a full formal coronation for myself once I have a castle ready and everything in order.” 

“Invite me. I look forward to seeing you like that.” 

Desire smiled. “Oh, you may rest assured on that.” He began to slip his armor on piece by piece. “Go. I’ll see you before you leave.” 

Lucifer chuckled softly. “I look forward to seeing you pledge your fealty to me as well.” He especially did that. Part of the hidden rites of the fealty ceremony involved him bedding his new liege servant, after all. And from the way Desire lazily grinned back at him, he anticipated it too. 

* * *

Celestia looked through her morning reports, divided between a stack of papers and scrolls and several finely crafted gems or other precious items that emitted an image of her contact giving the report. She enjoyed looking through those while she had her breakfast, since she didn’t need her hands to activate or change them. 

Most of what she saw wasn’t very impressive, simple reports that all was well or there were minor issues that could be taken care of with a few well-chosen words or actions. A few needed more in depth handling and she had one of her assistants sit those aside to deal with later. 

She’d almost finished them when a flutter of wings came from the window, and she turned just in time to see a tiny fae collapse on the sill, wings beating furiously as the fae dragged in breath after breath. She rose and hurried there at once, recognizing this fae as the one she’d assigned to Queen Bijou across the ocean in Norbu. 

“Little one? Tala? What is it? What’s happened?” She paled at the thought that something might have happened to Bijou. The two of them had grown up together as foster sisters and she missed her friend greatly since their respective realms called them to serve. 

Tala slowly raised her head, then dropped it again, still panting. Her wide pale blue eyes opened and closed repeatedly, as if she couldn’t decide to stay awake or not. Finally a few words panted out. 

“Had to – get here. Too late. Too late.” She shook her head, shivering, eyes closing again. “Too late.” 

“Tala?” Celestia touched one finger to the side of Tala’s head, ever so carefully. “Please? Please tell me.” She could see wounds on the little creature’s body, her tunic torn and shredded by claws that dug into her body. She wasn’t as skilled in healing as some she knew, but she could tell a lost cause when she saw one. 

Tala raised her head one more time. “Norbu – fallen. Bijou – gone. Triplets – gone.” She shook her head, her blood-stained hair falling against Celesta's hand. Exactly how she’d survived this long to bring the message, Celestia wasn’t certain. But she could do no more. Tala breathed out one final time. “I’m sorry.” 

And then she breathed no more. 

Celestia shuddered, pulling her hands away and tightening them into fists. She would not sully the body of her faithful servant. Her lips pressed together tightly, she rang a bell, calling her servants to her and sending them to gather up Heather, the Holy Elf, and those who would be able to prepare Tala’s body for her proper final rest. 

First and foremost, though, she wanted to talk to some of her mages, those who might be able to tell her more. Who had taken Norbu and killed Bijou and the triplets? 

Her heart twisted at just the thought of that. Bijou’s family carried the power of the Light of Creation. To think that they were all gone – the triplets before they’d even had a chance at life! It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. 

She held the rage that lit within her back, and the cry of mourning that she wanted to explode with. That would come in due time. She would have to do a ritual for Bijou and the children, and then set her people to searching for anyone who might carry a trace of Creation’s Light. It would take a long time; as she understood it, there were several rules about how the new bloodline could be born. It could take up to a year or more – possibly much more. 

_Someone has to find them and protect them, before whoever did this finds them._ She wondered where she might find the family records. No one really knew where those were, only that they existed somewhere in the world. Rumor had it that the four bloodlines kept _personal_ records, but those weren’t necessarily exhaustive. The ones kept elsewhere – if that elsewhere existed – would indeed be exhaustive. Even if the people in the bloodline themselves didn’t know who their ancestors were, those records knew. 

If she couldn’t find those, then she’d have to trace back what she did know of Bijou’s kin. There weren’t that many. She knew that Bijou’s parents had passed away shortly after she’d been crowned Queen, and her husband, the father of the triplets, fell in battle against the Fallen Angels less than a year earlier. She’d never heard of any siblings and it wasn’t likely that anyone on Bijou’s husband’s side would have the proper bloodlines. 

She set that thought to the side for now. She had too much else to worry about now. 

Tala didn’t have any living kin herself. That was one of the reasons she’d accepted an assignment so far away. She’d quite enjoyed being in Bijou’s court and for years every report she’d sent only detailed the joy she found there, and the occasional irritating issue that she had to deal with and how she’d done so. All very boring, really, and Celestia always made it a habit to listen to her reports when preparing for bed. It certainly made her rest that much deeper. 

Heather stepped into the chamber, bending her head softly, her eyes drawn at once to the tiny form on the window sill. “Tala?” 

“Yes. She flew in just a few minutes ago.” Quickly she relayed to Heather what Tala told her, already forming thoughts on what she’d have to do now. She paced up and down, her twitching wings the only sign of her agitation. “We need to know more.” 

Heather, who was also one of her closest advisors, moved towards the tiny body and gathered it into her arms. “I suggest someone who can fly – and perhaps someone who can change shape as well. Someone who can hide among the invaders no matter what they are like.” 

Celestia nodded before catching the eye of one of the servants who lurked in the doorway. “Gather my council. Include the ambassadors from our allies as well.” 

The servant bowed his head and quickly vanished off on his mission. Celestia turned back to Heather, heart clenching once again at the sight of the tiny body in Heather’s hands. She wanted so badly to scream, to let the tears flow, and forced all of those emotions down in order to ask the necessary questions. “Is there anything you can tell me yet?”” 

“These were possibly some sort of demonic claws – probably an imp since they didn’t kill her right away,” Heather reported. “Or poisoned if they’re not an imp. I’ll have to check to be positive. She might have survived if she’d taken her time to get here, but she flew so fast for so long that she used up every bit of her strength.” Heather shook her head quietly. “That’s all I can tell just by looking. Do you want me to do more?” 

Celestia pressed her hands together. “No. That’s all we really need to know. Take care of her; have her ready to rest as soon as possible.” 

Heather carried the tiny broken body away. Celestia stared at the place where Tala had been, then resolutely turned back to the collection of reports. She’d heard nothing at all from anyone about anything that could have led to this. There were plenty of realms, however, where she had no eyes or ears, and those were quite often the ones filled with demons or anyone else likely to be untrusting. Her spies were clever and cunning, but she would never send anyone into certain death. 

Though on Norbu’s western edge there was the realm of the Fallen Angels, and she’d never put something like this beyond Lucifer. At least he would never set foot in _her_ realm. 

She would have to find out if Lucifer had anything to do with this. Either him or one of his kindred – there were too many Fallen Angels and too many with ideas that would consider slaughtering the realm of Creation to be their absolute greatest coup whatsoever. 

One might even think that the force of Destructive Darkness still existed in all of its old glory – if that word could even be used for something like _that_. She offered thanks every day that such wasn’t the case anymore. 

Celestia hurried into her personal chamber and prepared to change into something both more formal and more proper for mourning. She would speak with her advisors and choose a spy to enter Norbu, after making it clear to them that this could be a mission that would end with death. 

It had been such a pleasant day so far, too. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Sorry I missed yesterday. I was tired and needed a rest. But, here we go. If you read the one-shots for Reversal I posted some months ago, you know who Celestia is – or who she will be.


	4. Chapter 4

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
**Title:** Call The Darkness  
**Characters:** Anisha (OC), Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Lightlord Angel Cherubim (OC), Snoww Magician of Dark World (OC), The Evil Spirit That Lives In The Rose (OC), Brron Mad King of Dark World|| **Ships:** N/A  
**Chapters:** 4-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,542|| **Total Words:** 18,170  
**Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
**Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
**Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
**Special Note:** There is non-consensual touching in this chapter, as well as non-consensual kissing, and implied future non-consensual sex. Continue with caution if this bothers you.  
**Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

She looked up the moment the door opened. She’d been in here by herself since the imp showed her, only seeing someone else when she’d been brought food. No one spoke to her and she didn’t speak to them. None of them looked willing to help her either kill Lucifer or get out of there and those were the only two points that she wanted to talk to anyone about. 

She’d fallen asleep – she thought it was late the night before. She wasn’t sure. This room didn’t have anything to keep time in and it didn’t have a window of any kind either. She’d sat on the bed and waited until she’d fallen asleep and awoken when the door swung open and an imp – maybe even the same one who’d shown her the room – entered with a tray of food. 

But now the door opened and Lucifer himself stood there, wings spread so that he filled the entire doorway, and she flinched back from the sight. He smiled at her. It was a beautiful smile. Virtually everything about him was beautiful, of course. But she didn’t trust it, and one hand clutched against the black satin sheets, aching to be filled with the weight of a knife. 

Could something like him even be killed with a knife? She didn’t know and she wasn’t going to ask him. She did so hope that she'd get the chance to find out one day. 

“Hello, Anisha.” 

She wanted to slash his lips for that alone. She might have to answer to it – she hadn’t forgotten her plan – but that in no way meant that she _liked_ it. She would do what she had to do, to avenge her homeland, and to stop him from committing whatever foul acts he had in mind. 

He strolled towards her, every step as smooth and graceful as flesh and feathers could make it. She shifted away, even knowing that she couldn’t really get away. 

“I expect you to answer me when I greet you,” he told her, tendering a stern look towards her. “And you will address me as _Lucifer-sama_.” 

“Never.” She spat the word out with all of her strength. “I’ll never call you that. I’ll never do _anything_ for you. No matter what.” 

He laughed. He stood very close; not quite within touch range, but enough so that her wings buzzed in fear and she thought for certain he could hear her heart clanging hard against her ribs. How could he not? 

But if he did, he made no mention of it. Instead, he watched her. “I think you’re going to find yourself very much mistaken. But we can get to that later. I want information and I think you might have it. So you will give it to me.” 

She blinked. That certainly hadn’t been what she thought she would hear. “Excuse me?” 

“First and foremost – where would Bijou have sent her children? And who would she assign to guard them?” 

That question definitely wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. She shook her head. “I don’t know. Why do you think I would know?” 

“Why wouldn’t I? I know very well that Bijou’s family was connected to the Temple of Creation – and that is where I found you.” Lucifer’s eyes ran up and down her and she automatically started to pull the gown closer to her. It didn’t seem to do much to protect her from his gaze but she tried anyway. “Tell me what your duties there were.” 

She worried at her lip for a moment. She’d expected to be questioned, that was for certain. Just not like this. “I took care of the records, that’s all. Nothing important. Just the ones about what the temple took in and paid out.” She hesitated for a few moments. Perhaps if he knew more, she would have a better chance of getting to kill him. “I grew up in the Temple. They found me on the doorstep when I was a baby. They named me-” 

Lucifer raised one finger to halt her right then. “I don’t care what they called you. Your name is Anisha now.” 

She pressed her lips together, fingers tightening more in the sheets. She wasn’t going to agree, not to his face, not like this. But she kept going. “I learned how to read and write, history and math. Everything the Temple taught. I didn’t want a husband, so I started to work for my keep when I was about fifteen.” 

Lucifer nodded. “And you know nothing at all about the bloodline of Creation – or of Hope.” 

She blinked a few times at that and started to shake her head. “No. The sacred bloodlines - those weren’t kept at the Temple.” 

In another breath, he was so close to her that she could feel the brush of his wings against her skin. She dropped backwards, practically flat on the bed, wings crushed against the mattress, and he stared down at her, eyes glowing harsh and demanding. 

‘Then where _are_ they kept? The palace?” 

She shook her head, all of her plans stuttering in the back of her head with him so close, she was unarmed, she could do _nothing_ , and she wanted so badly to be able to fight back when she could scarcely even move in a way that would show defiance. “I don’t know. The High Priest – he knew. But he would have still been in the temple when you – when you ” 

For the life of her she could not forget that moment, clinging to him out of sheer shock, hovering over the burning city, his army departing at quick time, herding captives in front of them, and then he’d hurled sphere after sphere of raw destruction to the buildings below, shaking them down into nothing but dust and memories in the span of moments. Her throat closed up and tears stung at her eyes, her wings buzzing what little they could even faster. 

Her heart thudded more as he raised a hand to trail it down her cheek. His touch was far softer than she’d thought such a beast could be and she shuddered more as he smiled. 

“You want to kill me so much. I can taste it on you.” He leaned closer and she jumped as his tongue traced the same path as his hand – wet and hot and terrifying. “I like that.” 

“No.” She wanted him to think that she’d submitted, but she knew very well that he wasn’t a fool. He wouldn’t believe it if she suddenly turned from hatred to – whatever. And she didn’t think she could do that anyway. She had to fight what little she could, let him believe – until his pride brought his guard down. 

Pride was his sin, after all, wasn’t it? 

“You can’t lie to me,” Lucifer whispered, the words cast right into her ears. “You can try if it makes you feel better. But I always know.” 

She parted her lips, whether to argue or to scream she wasn’t entirely certain, but never quite found at as Lucifer’s lips crushed down on hers. She froze; never before had anyone done that to her. Her mind blanked out completely, and all she could feel was the absolute _humor_ as he kissed her. 

Then he moved back and straightened up. “I’ll see you tonight,” he told her, as calm and unruffled as if he hadn’t moved a step, hadn’t done anything at all. “I do look forward to it. I hope you do as well – Anisha.” 

She shook her head. Her mind hadn’t cleared all the way yet and if someone had asked if she denied the name or denied looking forward to what he hinted at, she hadn’t the faintest idea. She stared at him, rage and fear and other emotions that she didn’t know the names of coursing all through her. 

Even when the door closed, the tiny little lock making certain that she’d not be able to get out of there on her own, she stared at it, blank and confused and very, very panicked. 

* * *

Lucifer found himself more than satisfied with the light taste that he’d had of Anisha. The fear and hate in her flavored her lips and he thought it would make everything else that much better that night. 

But now what else he’d learned occupied his thoughts. The High Priest would have known what he wanted, but the High Priest had been in the temple when he’d destroyed it. Perhaps he _had_ been a little hasty there. 

But on the whole, matters weren’t that bad. He’d inspected the other captives, and found none of them to his taste, or to his use. Desire already made some of his choices, from among the loyal soldiers and the captives. There would be others back home that he would recruit as well. 

It wouldn’t take all that long to get everything sorted out and set up. He would be ready to head home within a few days and he looked forward to it. He didn’t like being away from the great Darkness for very long. It made him nervous and twitchy when he couldn’t feel that presence in the deepest part of his soul. 

When he checked, turning his thoughts inward, that tiny flicker of shadows remained there, of course. Enough so that he knew the Darkness still favored him, that he could still access the necessary power. He smiled just at the thought. 

It was so very good to know that he’d not been forgotten. 

* * *

Her council consisted of many types of beings – some human, some spirit, some creatures of varying types that hadn’t been identified as one or the other yet. All of them addressed her politely as they entered, wondering what this surprise session was about, and she told them all that the answer would come once they were all there. 

The ambassadors were also of varying types, who looked more than a little worried as they settled in. It wasn’t often that they were invited to meetings of Celestia’s council. But she wanted them to know and perhaps to find out what they knew as well. Just because she hadn’t heard from her spies didn’t mean that they hadn’t. 

Her gaze drifted across to where Snoww – the ambassador from Brron’s realm – sat in icy contemplation of whatever occupied her mind. If anyone here stood a chance to know what was going on, it would be her. 

“We’re all here,” her Chamberlain declared at last. “What’s this about?” 

Celestia wished she’d been able to devote at least a little time to her mourning. But to her sadness, politics came first. She raised her head, and those who hadn’t yet seen her face were surprised to see even those small hints visible of her desire to scream and cry. 

“As you all know, I have eyes and ears – spies – in many of our realms. This morning, one of those returned to me with the most dire of news. Thanks to her sacrifice and courage, I have learned that Queen Bijou of Norbu – my foster sister – is now dead, as are her children.” Celestia wrenched the words out of herself, her heart thudding as she spoke them. Saying them here and now made it all sound so very real and she didn’t want them to be. 

Those of her council stared back at her, as shocked as she’d ever seen them. So did the vast majority of the ambassadors. 

Snoww didn’t reflect a single emotion save for the tiny raising of one eyebrow. She leaned forward. “And did your spy reveal who committed this act?” 

“Not in her words. But I have my own suspicions. The realm of the Fallen Angels abuts Norbu and I’m certain every one of us here is aware of Lucifer’s ambitions.” Her lips thinned. “I intend to verify the truth before I do anything. But something must be done so that he doesn’t acquire the idea that he could do this to anyone else – to any of the other realms.” 

“Surely you don’t think he’d come here!” One of her councilors – one more in charge of trading foodstuffs than warfare or politics – gasped. “The distance is so fast! Surely he couldn’t!” 

Celestia raised her shoulders in a quick shrug. “That I can’t say. But do recall the Fallen Angels and a good portion of their warriors are quite capable of flight. It would not be that difficult for them to mount a long-term campaign. They’d merely have to cross the ocean – and there are many uninhabited islands they could rest on to do that. Establish a stronghold near the coast and use it to launch an assault anywhere. What I _know_ we must do is ensure that we are defended against any such attacks and ensure that we have no one within our borders who could open our gates to them.” 

Soft whispers ran among the councillors and ambassadors, rumors and wild rambles and worries that Celestia knew they would need to get out of their system. The sooner they did that, the better, in her opinion. She kept the large bulk of her attention on Snoww, who spoke to none at all, but looked thoughtful at everything. 

Then someone else leaned forward. “Majesty?” 

This was Nasrin, known to those who dueled as The Evil Spirit That Lives In The Rose. Celestia far preferred just to call her Nasrin. It was far less of a mouthful. Nasrin tended to spend most of her time in the royal gardens, and Celestia thought often she’d make a better spy than ambassador. Her thorns were sharp and long, her skin a pale shade of green, her eyes and hair somewhat darker, her voice soft and musical. 

“Yes, Ambassador?” Celestia asked, ignoring the sense of warmth that rose within her at the sound of that voice. It was said Nasrin could charm petals off of blossoms and birds from trees if she chose. Celestia would not disagree with that. 

“While we cannot offer aid at the moment without permission from our respective rulers, at least not in regards to our realms, I feel we can offer certain points on a personal level.” She leaned forward; her seat was about halfway down the table, but Celestia could still feel that blazing regard on her, and it pushed the grief back a small bit. “I have kindred in Norbu – distant kindred but blood all the same. I will ask them what they can tell me about this. It’s been a long time since I contacted them regardless. I’m sure they’ll be eager for help in one fashion or another.” 

Celestia tilted her head forward. “My thanks, Ambassador Nasrin,” Celestia replied, meaning every word. Her gaze flicked over the rest of those at the table, a handful of whom also offered assistance, some with aiding in gathering information, others with offering what little they’d heard before, none of which could be solid evidence of the Fallen Angels having done this. 

Celestia herself had no real doubts about it. They were the closest to Norbu and they would be the ones to benefit the most from this. All that would be necessary would be a statement by Lucifer himself. 

Another of the ambassadors cleared their throat. This one served the realm of the dragons, who lived in many settlements all over the world, most often in mountains, such as the ones on Norbu’s borders. Unlike most of the dragon inhabitants, this one looked more or less human, if one discounted the scales, wings, and tail. They had two legs and two arms, scarlet red eyes, and a face shaped slightly more like a traditional dragon than a human. 

“Yes, Ambassador?” Celestia asked. 

“Not that long ago, I heard from my kindred next to Norbu that they had not received messages from there in a fortnight. They wished to know if we’d heard anything but we had not. I fear this might tie into this dread news.” 

More whispers and rumors flew around, until the dragon ambassador move forward again. “I will send this message to my leaders and learn what I may do as soon as I can. We will give you what information that we can.” 

Celestia nodded at that. “I look forward to hearing what they can tell us.” Dragon magic and dragon wings would bring in information almost as fast as her own spies could when they pushed themselves. She’d already chosen her new spy and sent them off – she could only hope that they would be safe. 

Most of the ambassadors agreed they would contact their rulers as soon as they could and would pass whatever information they had back to Celestia. Celestia informed them of her mourning for her foster sister at her earliest convenience. 

“If I am allowed, I would like to attend with you,” Nasrin said, offering her hand. “It is not a custom that we have in my realm to mourn the passing of those we care about in that fashion.” 

So Celestia had heard. But she nodded. ‘Any who wish to come are welcome. I’m certain that Bijou would appreciate it.” Bijou’s heart had been very wide and very open. She definitely would enjoy those of many realms gathering together in peace. 

Snoww finally spoke again. “I would be pleased to attend. But I also must say – you all know who I serve. I will honestly tell you – if my lord Brron knew of such a strike to come, he did not speak to it of me. I can say nothing more to that. I am aware that he has contacts with the Fallen Angels and he and Lucifer have shared meals more than once. If they share anything else, I do not know.” 

“No one accused you or your master of anything,” one of the other ambassadors snapped. Celestia couldn’t quite remember which ruler this one served. She’d have to refresh her memory on this a little later. But he glared at Snoww with fire-rimmed eyes and heat rolled forth from him with every word that he spoke. 

Celestia raised one hand. “Please. This is a time of mourning. I have lost my foster sister and her children did not even see their first birthday. And lest we all forget – Norbu is – or was – where the Light of Creation kept its home and its bloodline. This isn’t the first time we’ve come close to losing a bloodline, but finding the new bearers could take a great deal of time. Time that we may or may not have.” 

She hadn’t entirely wanted to bring that point up to them, but she’d rather they were terrified into thinking clearly than so angry to the point of striking against one another. 

“Now, if anyone has any idea of where a new bloodline could dawn, let me know as soon as you can.” She hesitated, then continued. “This goes for Creation as well as Destruction. Lucifer has distant kin that were of that line and I’d rather he didn’t get the idea to bring it back.” 

* * *

Brron laughed. Brron laughed very loudly and for a very great span of time. He smashed one bony fist on the arm of his throne, tilted his head back, and howled. He might well have needed to breathe, but he didn’t care and he kept on laughing until he couldn't anymore. 

“Find the most expensive treasure that I don’t care to keep!” He shouted at one of his servants. “I want to send it to Lucifer. He _deserves_ it for what he’s done!” 

He threw himself back into his throne and regarded the messenger before him. It had been days since the conquest and destruction of Norbu – he wasn’t even sure of how long. Lucifer was probably back home by now, preening at his success, and likely plotting what else he could do in order to succeed. 

Brron considered what his own options were. He had to stay careful over here; unlike the Fallen Angels his realm wasn’t that big and was surrounded on all sides by creatures that served one or more of the Lights. If he stepped too much out of line, he’d likely have to deal with one or all of them. 

Probably Celestia. She considered herself the ‘leader’ of most of the realms here and the one time when he’d started to eye one of his smaller neighbors, she’d sent him a very strongly worded note that he should behave himself and look into the benefits of staying home. 

He’d set up an entirely new set of gladiatorial combat after that, using every person that he had that came from Celestia’s realms or those of her allies. There weren’t that many of them but enough to work his aggression through. 

He wanted to do it again now. He wasn’t sure if he had enough but he had other methods to get what he wanted. He had a standing agreement with every ruler – even Celestia – that those criminals they didn’t want to execute themselves could be sent to him for gladiatorial combat. One of them had achieved the position of his Champion some time ago. 

Perhaps he’d have a new one. But he would also be very willing to request a new warrior from Lucifer and use whoever that was to kill the current Champion. He always politely made certain that whatever location the fatalities came from were delivered the body and a detailed description of how they lost their lives. 

“We are going to have a celebration!” Brron finally declared, raising his head to stare at all of those who stood before him. “For the realm of Norbu, once ruled by Queen Bijou of the Creation’s Light, is _no more_! Our allies across the ocean, led by Fallen Angel Lucifer, have destroyed it. Those who survived are taken captive.” 

He liked hearing the whispered words of fear and shock race through the gathering before him. The ambassador from Celestia turned away, fists clenched together, and Brron would have wagered quite a lot that she wept when she could not be seen. He would make certain that they were invited to the new tournament and that they watched every moment of it. Perhaps they would send word to Celestia that Brron could be every bit as deadly in his entertainments as in his desires to make war. 

“How can you celebrate the loss of an entire bloodline?” The Ambassador asked. She turned back, her eyes shining with tears unshed. “The destruction of a realm and a woman who did no harm to you?” 

Brron smiled. He knew exactly what his smile looked like to anyone else and he wasn’t at all surprised to see the Ambassador’s lips twitch in disgust at him. “Because my ally has achieved a great victory and I only wish that I’d been able to stand by his side when he did it.” 

She shook her head and stalked away, forcing her way through the surrounding warriors, sorcerers, and ambassadors as she did. Brron waved to them to let her go. She would be returned when he chose to let her. 

But he wasn’t just going to sit there. The messenger had already left but Brron had other ways to do what he wanted to. He dismissed his court with a quick wave of one hand and hurried on to his personal chamber. There, he settled into his most comfortable chair, and pulled out a sphere of black crystal. He lit two candles and set the sphere between them, watching as the light played over the darkness. 

“Lucifer! Get yourself here! I won’t wait all night!” He’d never bothered to work out if there was a time difference between his realm and Lucifer’s. When he called he expected Lucifer to answer, and vice versa. 

Yet it was still another ten minutes before the image of the greatest of the Fallen Angels reflected in the sphere. He raised one eyebrow towards Brron. 

“And what has _you_ so excited tonight?” A sudden quirk of Lucifer’s full lips. “Did you perhaps receive good news?” 

“That I did and it’s news you sent! Congratulations on taking over Norbu – or is it getting a new name?” 

“You’re going to have to ask Desire about that. I gave him the pace to take care of.” Lucifer lounged backwards. Brron couldn’t see where he was, but he presumed it was in his personal quarters. “But I think I should ask you this – do you know of where they keep the bloodline records for Creation?” 

Brron blinked. “No. I’d never even known they kept something like that.” He leaned forward. “What about Destruction? Do they have that, too?” 

“Quite likely. Though-” Lucifer considered for a few seconds, then shook his head, a haunting smile playing over his lips. “Though I doubt they would keep the records fro Destruction where anyone could find them. They did, after all, go to such trouble to exterminate the line.” 

That got a snort from Brron. “They didn’t succeed, though. Did they?” It wasn’t really that much of a question. It wasn’t widely known, but _he_ knew that Lucifer had ancestry going back to the royal family of Kuragari, where the line of Destruction once reigned supreme. Perhaps it wasn’t strong enough in his veins to allow him to host the full power of Destruction but it was still enough for Brron. 

“That they didn’t. Now, tell me. I know you. What do you have in mind for a celebration? I might find the time to attend briefly.” 

“Really?” Brron loved that thought the moment that he heard it. “I am definitely celebrating. A tournament and if you can send someone who would be strong enough to defeat my current Champion, I look forward to seeing them.” A very amused laugh dropped from his green-tinged teeth. “And if you can attend, I’ll make sure that we have the best of feasts ready for you.” 

“And I’ll see to it that I bring some of the wine of Kuragari,” Lucifer agreed. “I might even have another set of good news when I arrive. I can’t say for certain but if I do, you’ll be one of the first to know.” 

Oh, that definitely thrilled Brron. “Will it be news I can tell to everyone or private?” He wasn’t certain which of those he wanted more. News that he could spread would be fascinating but secrets were _intriguing_. 

But Lucifer chuckled and once more shook his head. “I’ll let you know when the time comes. When will your celebration begin and how long will it last?” 

“In three days,” Brron decided. He would have to let his servants know; the time would serve to get whoever Lucifer sent there and for the finest of foods to be prepared. “And I think I Can stretch it out to a week.” 

“Then I’ll come on the very last night. I’ll send one of my favored warriors to you tomorrow. I have a sorcerer who can send them via teleportation.” Lucifer nodded towards him, this time in farewell, and Brron barely had time to acknowledge that before the image faded, and he was left with rising anticipation. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Can you tell what I’m leading up to with Lucifer and Anisha? If you haven’t, don’t worry. This only really occurred to me as I got started on this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
 **Title:** Call The Darkness  
 **Characters:** Lightlord Angel Cherubim (OC), Tethys the Divine Light (OC), Anisha (OC), Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Sophia (OC), Audhild (OC), Sanela (OC), Alexandrite Dragon (OC), Blue-Eyes White Dragon (OC)|| **Ships:** N/A  
 **Chapters:** 5-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,594|| **Total Words:** 22,764  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
 **Special Note:** The implied relationship between Lucifer and Anisha is not consensual. Lucifer _isn’t_ a nice person. But it has a plot related purpose – and I’m sure you can guess what that is. Also, the part with Lucifer takes place before the scene with Brron last chapter.  
 **Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

Celestia bent one wing around and carefully examined the dye she’d ordered applied – streaks of midnight blue and deep orange, the colors of the sunset – the colors of morning. She brushed one hand through her feathers carefully and sighed. She’d never thought before that she’d have to wear these. 

At least she’d never thought she would have to do so in honor of Bijou. Mourning could come for many people. Never had she thought she would mourn the falling of her foster sister. 

Again the need to keen and cry burned in her throat and she kept it under control. She would not have to do so for much longer. The mourning ritual approached – at sunset tonight she would sand before the great altar and scream until she had not a breath left in her. Scream out all of the grief that boiled inside of her from the moment she’d heard of what happened to Bijou and Norbu. 

“Well done,” she praised her servant, offering a sweet smile that she didn’t feel very much. “Thank you.” 

The young servant – human, but with a trace of spirit blood in them, bent their head forward. “Thank you, Majesty.” Around one arm they bore a band of blue and orange as well, the colors blending together as they did in the evening sky. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” 

“Not right now.” A soft sigh escaped her lips. “Has my sister arrived yet?” 

“I’ll go and see,” the servant promised, hurrying out at once. Celestia stared at her own reflection in the silver mirror for a few moments, wishing that she knew what else she could do. She’d sent out a new spy to report on the state of Bijou. She gathered information from her council and the ambassadors, and the ones that she’d sent to other realms sent back information to her. 

So far that hadn’t accomplished much. The ambassador placed in Brron’s realm told little, other than he seemed quite pleased at the fall of Norbu. That didn’t surprise her in the slightest. But there didn’t seem to be anything else going on there, and she doubted her ambassador could learn much. Brron wouldn’t be likely to tell people what he didn’t want them to know. 

_But perhaps someone else can find out something from there._ She had more than an ambassador there. Perhaps she would get a message soon. She would have to wait. 

“Celestia.” 

She turned at the sound to see her elder sister standing in the doorway, her own wings painted orange and blue, and the same evidence of grief written in her eyes that Celestia herself carried. Celestia rose up and took the two steps needed to get to her and the sisters fell into one another’s arms. 

“Tethys,” she whispered, “you came.” 

Tethys rested one hand on Celestia’s hair, supporting her. “Did you think that I wouldn’t? I loved her too.” 

While Celestia had been the only one fostered with Bijou, Bijou came home with Celestia a few times to visit, and there were times Tethys came to visit her as well. The three of them did almost as much together as they would have if they’d been fostered together in the first place. 

“I know Lucifer had something to do with this. If he wasn’t at the vanguard of it.” Celestia’s lips pressed together. “He was right there at the border. He’s hated her as long as I can remember. If something happened, he either did it or he wanted it done.” 

Tethys nodded her agreement. “I’ve checked with my own spies but so far there’s no actual evidence we can use.” Her eyes narrowed. “So _far_.” Light gleamed in the back of her eyes – she didn’t carry either Creation or Hope but she wielded light magic to the point she’d been called titles such as _Goddess of Light_ or _Divine Light_. If she found enough evidence to pin this on Lucifer, then she would burn everything of his to the ground. 

And Celestia would be right there next to her. No matter what. 

“We’ll find out something,” Celestia promised. She rubbed at her throat. “How long until sunset?” She’d been here in her chambers for hours getting ready. She wasn’t at all certain of what time it was anymore. Her stomach wasn’t a reliable source of information, since tradition held that on the selected day of mourning, no one took in any food and only the lightest of drinks. She would not be able to eat until the end of the night’s worth of vigil, at sunrise. 

“It’s almost time. Let’s go.” Tethys turned towards the door and together the two of them headed through the corridors, all hung with signs of mourning. There were few people in the castle who wouldn’t attend the mourning ceremony. Even if people hadn’t known Bijou, they respected their queen’s grief. 

Once they were outside, Tethys and Celestia took off, soaring over the castle until they reached the temple where a painting of Bijou rested. Celestia wondered what had become of the painting of her that she’d traded to her foster sister when they’d had to part ways. 

_Likely destroyed with the rest of Norbu._ Again her heart spasmed at the thought. She wanted to see the castle of Norbu, or what was left of it. There wouldn’t be much, she feared. Perhaps nothing at all. 

She put that thought to the side for the moment as she settled down before the open air altar and knelt, her wings spread out respectfully. Tethys knelt beside her, mirroring the movement, and the Priestess of Light stood before them, gowned in robes of orange and blue, and raised her hands. 

“We gather here today to mourn the passing of the good Queen Bijou, ruler of the realm of Norbu, mother to the triplets, Johan, Rune, and Yubel. Their passing will be mourned by all. They carried the blood of the Light of Creation, that which brought our world to life, and stood firm against Nihility and Destruction.” 

She intoned a little longer, praising the great works that Bijou did in her life. During all of this, Celestia remained where she was, waiting for that moment she’d yearned for. When the Priestess finally came to the end of her eulogy, she lowered her hands, and at that, as the sun slid down and the colors of blue and orange unfolded across the sky, Celestia threw her head back and screamed at the top of her lungs, letting every scrap of rage and grief and misery that built up in her over the last few days finally pour out of her. 

Her cry was echoed a heartbeat later by Tethys, almost as loud and as heart-felt. Those who gathered behind, the ambassadors and the councilors, the servants and citizens of the city who’d come to the temple to honor Bijou, they cried out as well, the cry rolling all over the city, echoing faintly back from the walls. Celestia cried out again and again, spreading her wings and flapping them as hard as she could without taking off, sending little bits of feathers drifting through the air. 

She didn’t know how often she cried or for how long, only that she did so until she could do no more. Two acolytes of the Temple moved through the crowd, bringing the sacred waters of mourning with them, for everyone who needed a drink. Celestia only supped a little, enough to moisten her throat, then rose up and moved to stand beside the Priestess. 

Now she let her tears fall. Now she showed her grief for all to see. 

“Bijou and I grew up together. We were foster sisters and pledged oaths to one another to always be the best of friends. In all of our lives, we never failed this oath – and had I known anyone sought to bring her down, I would have stood by her side to fight them off. As I failed in this, I pledge myself and all that I have to this one cause – to discover who it was that killed Bijou and destroyed her realm and bring them to justice. Be this justice of the sword, of magic, or of courts I do not know. But whatever the proper and wisest course of action is, I will strive for that in all ways.” 

She swallowed for a moment, then continued. “I have suspicions on who committed this vile act. But I will not speak those suspicions in public. I will not spread rumors that I cannot support at this moment. What I say is this – when I know who did it, without a single doubt, then I will inform you all. Before I make a single move against those who committed this crime, you will know who did it. This, I swear.” 

She had seen realms whose rulers chose to keep all the knowledge of politics, the reasons and the whys and the hows, from their people, thinking them foolish and unlearned and incapable of understanding. Celestia believed everyone could understand the reasons that many acts of politics required, even if they did not always agree with those reasons. She didn’t agree with them herself at times. 

But there wasn’t any reason she could think of that would require the utter destruction of a realm,, especially in a time of peace, without a single word of warning escaping to others. This hadn’t been war. This had been an extermination, a strike against one of the Four Great Forces, and it could not go unavenged. She might not be one of the Four, but she would do whatever it was she could do to set mattes right. 

* * *

Time to go home. Everything had been sorted out as best that it could be for the moment. All the troops who would stay with Desire had been chosen and Desire had started to sketch out what he wanted his new castle and city to look like. He still hadn’t decided on what he waned to rename the country but Lucifer suspected he would get to that sooner or later. 

For now, he made his own preparations to return to his realm. The armies massed together – less than they’d been before, but due to Desire’s new station as opposed to losses in battle. His siblings circled as well, proud of their success. 

Anisha stood not far from him, her arms wrapped around herself, blazing hatred still burning in her eyes, gowned in the colors that marked her as one of his official concubines. He’d quite enjoyed teaching her those first lessons these last few nights. She hadn’t, or so the light bruises on him decreed. But he knew she’d get used to it. 

“I look forward to seeing what you make of this place, brother,” Lucifer declared to Desire. “And to hearing you pledge oath to me once this place has been properly resettled.” 

Desire bent his head. “And I look forward to that as well.” 

The few survivors of Norbu muttered from where they’d been corralled. Lucifer paid little attention to them. He’d inspected each and every one to be certain they carried no trace of any of the great Four bloodlines and thus were useless to him. So far the only one he’d found who did carry anything was Anisha – it was something he’d noticed right away when he'd seen her, though he still wasn’t certain of which of the Four she carried. 

If it were useful knowledge, then he knew who would know it. Such was one of the reasons he would take her home with him. 

With a raise of one hand to give the order, the army started forward on the path that would lead them back home. Lucifer scooped up Anisha into his arms, enjoying the way she tensed against him. He spread his wings and leaped into the sky, soaring ahead of the army, guiding them. 

“You’re very quiet,” he said as they flew along in silence for perhaps an hour or so. The sun rose bright and high in the sky, unfolding warmth everywhere. It was a good day for flying. 

“I have nothing to say to you,” she snapped. “Why should I speak to a demon?” 

He laughed. “Is that the worst you can call me? I know demons. Some are very pleasant. Would you like to meet them?” He glanced down at her, smirking. “I think some of them would very much enjoy meeting _you_.” 

She shook her head, tiny strands of her hair battering against him, her wings fluttering hard against his hands where he held her. Her wings didn’t seem to be big enough for her to achieve flight – poor creature – but he thought he could adjust that for her once they got home. He had quite a few sorcerers and mages who would be able to improve her wings. He hadn’t brought them along since they weren’t suited for war. Their talents lay in other areas. 

“Why don’t you just kill me?” She snapped the question in such a fashion that made it plain to him she didn't’ really want to die. He wasn’t surprised. Her hate for him burned so strong that she would live just to have a chance to kill him. 

That certainly made matters more entertaining for him. So many people hated him that he’d lost track but very few were close enough to him that they stood even the faintest chance of killing him. He doubted she could pull it off either. 

Not that he wasn’t looking forward to her attempts to try. It would please her to make the attempt and it would please him when she failed. 

“Why would I do that?” He shrugged. “You’re pleasing to the eye, and in many other ways, and I find you interesting. I have plans that include you. More than you can understand now, I’m sure.” 

Her jaw dropped. “I want _nothing_ to do with you! I hate it when you touch me! I want you to _die_!” 

“Of course you do,” Lucifer laughed his answer out. “Why should that stop me?” He tightened his grip around her. Then he grinned. Here they crossed over a vast river, the sort of river that roared down from mountains, dashing itself over sharp-edged rocks, wide and deep enough that a person who stood on one end of one of the bridges that crossed it could not have seen a person standing on the other send of the bridge. 

He said nothing to warn her. He carried her by having his arms wrapped around her waist and her wrists bound together with elegant golden handcuffs, locked around his own waist. He’d sealed her wings with magic; he’d reasonably figured out that she couldn’t fly with them but he’d seen more than a few creatures who couldn’t fly but could use their wings as weapons. He intended to take no chances. 

To the viewing eye what he did would have seemed impossible. But he twisted and shifted and _moved_ and in between one breath and the next, Anisha fell from his arms to the river, flailing her still-bound wrists, a shriek of terror ripping out of her. She tried to beat her wings, but nothing happened. 

She screamed again, squirming and trying anything that she could to save herself. Lucifer darted downward, quick as a thought, and scooped her back into his arms. She trembled, clinging hard to him, before she started to bang on him with her clenched chained fists. 

“What was that for?” 

“You don’t want to die,” Lucifer pointed out calmly. “If you had, you wouldn’t have been trying to save yourself. You want to live. You want to live very much.” 

Anisha glared harder at him. He suspected that she didn’t believe him. What she said then solidified what he believed. 

“Of course I want to live. I just don’t want to live with _you_.” 

“That’s not an option,” Lucifer told her. He perched on the far side of the river. “We’ll wait here for the rest of the troops.” They were always slower than he was. His brothers could catch up later and they could have a late breakfast. At his preferred sleep he could have returned home in a day and a half. At this rate it would take perhaps twice that, maybe even a bit longer. 

But he was not displeased. He could enjoy himself in many ways, not just with Anisha, but with Zerato, and he could keep an eye on the reports that his spies spread all over the world would send him. He still received reports from those spies in the villages, towns, and those few surviving cities in the rest of Norbu. All of those kept a sharp eye out for anyone who might be trying to organize a rebellion against him, as well as any sign of those triplets. 

So far there hadn’t been one. That worried him. The triplets shouldn’t have been able to vanish so very quickly. More and more he wanted to extend his feelers into the realm of the dragons. He’d assigned one of the demonic dragons to try and keep things churned up there the way that he wanted them. He thought it was working; he hadn’t heard anything from them since the crushing of Norbu. That had to work out in his favor. 

For now, he settled himself beside the river. Anisha stood a short distance away, pointedly not looking at him and staring at the scenery that looked so very peaceful. Her stomach rumbled sharply and she started to wander a bit closer to the thick clusters of trees. 

“We’re in my realm now,” Lucifer reminded her. “I wouldn’t try to eat just anything around here.” A soft chuckle escaped his lips. “You should wait until I offer you food. You’ll know that’s safe.” 

“I suppose you want me to beg for it too?” Anisha retorted. Lucifer smirked. 

“I hadn't thought about that but if you really _want_ to I certainly won’t turn it down.” 

Lucifer was a trifle surprised when she kicked a spray of rocks towards him and stalked to sit on top of a pile of rocks by the river, staring into the cascading waters, shoulders set tense and hard. He watched her for a few moments before he strolled over and settled beside her, his wings enfolding her. She tensed even harder and shook her head. 

Lucifer didn’t acknowledge that. Instead, he reached into the river and yanked a fat fish out of it. He didn’t recognize the type – in truth, fishing wasn’t really one of his favored pastimes. But he examined it carefully before a whispered fire spell cooked it in his hand. Then he set it down on the rock between them. “There. You have something to eat.” 

Anisha looked for a few seconds as if she would just dash the fish back into the river. Then she slowly picked it up and started to gnaw on it. Lucifer caught a second one and fried that one too, then a third that he ate for himself. 

“I don’t understand,” she said at last. “You confuse me.” 

“You don’t need to understand,” Lucifer assured her. “All you need to do is what I tell you. It’s not that difficult.” He rested one hand on her hair. “You’ll understand more when we return home.” 

“Am I going to _want_ to? Or even like it if I do?” She moved her head to avoid his touch. Lucifer could not help but chuckle at her questions. 

“Not likely.” 

* * *

When Opal landed, all three of the former servants tumbled off, keeping their respective charges held close to them. Sanela breathed hard, trembling, before she slowly opened her eyes and looked around, trying to figure out where they were. 

Cave walls rose up around them. Gems were studded into the walls, some glowing warmly with light, others simply glimmering with beauty. Sanela couldn’t even name them all – amethysts and emeralds, sapphires and rubies, far far more than that, in every shade of gemstone that had ever existed, and more than she’d ever imagined. 

But then she turned her head and saw what else was in that cave, and her heart skipped several beats. 

Dragons. Many dragons, a few of which looked like Opal, others which resembled many different gemstones, and some who didn’t resemble gems at all. But regardless of what they looked like, certain points remained in common – scales of multiple shades, sharp teeth and claws, and perhaps hundreds of bright, intelligent eyes looking at them all. 

Audhild held Johan as close to her as she could manage. “Greetings, dragons, allies to Queen Bijou,” she said, cranking the words out of her throat as if she were terrified they might become lodged in there and choked her. “We have the royal children, given to us by the queen’s own hands.” 

One of the dragons leaned forward, drawing in a great breath of air. “So we see,” the dragon murmured, voice shaking them all to their core with its deepness and richness. “You need no fear. So long as you are here, you will be under our protection, as we will never harm the Children of Creation.” 

Another of the dragons, this one with gleaming white scales and deep blue eyes, sniffed forward as well, then spoke in a voice that the three humans could only count as female. “What do you seek to do with the children? And what has happened that they are not with their mother?” 

Opal answered that last. “The reason for not hearing from Bijou or our kindred in there is that the forces of the Fallen Angles have crushed Norbu beyond repair. Bijou has passed on.” 

Glances spun between the dragons as quick as lightning. A small dragon inched forward. “Through no cause of our own, the pact between Norbu and our realm has been broken.” This one gleamed like dark, dried blood. Sanela wasn’t certain if she should trust him, until he continued to speak. “It is our right to invade what is left of Norbu and avenge that in blood.” 

“Wait.” Another dragon – none of the three could really keep track of them all, no matter how different they looked. “While this is true, it is not wise to charge in without thinking or without care. Bijou was our ally. We ask therefore, that the question be answered – what did she wish of you to do with her children?” 

“She didn’t say, other than to keep them safe,” Sophia answered, her arms firm around Rune. “And I – I don’t think there’s anything left there to save. Or to avenge. It’s all gone. It has to be.” 

“We will discover this,” the smaller dragon reassured her. “But I still believe this is our right to settle it.” 

“A greater right the triplets will have to it,” the biggest of the dragons, that white one with blue eyes, declared. “And given that they are of the blood of Creation, I feel this will be a matter between the Four, not between mortals.” 

Sanela shifted. “The Four?” She’d heard stories all of her life of the Four Forces of Existence, two of Light, two of Darkness, Creation, Hope, Destruction, and Non-Existence, or Nihility. A thousand dstories could be told about them all, and usually were. She’d never figured out which tales were true and which were just stories. The fact that the Four incarnated at various points in time she didn’t doubt; she couldn't have worked for Queen Bijou and not known the truth of it. But a matter between the Four… 

“Lucifer of the Fallen Angels is the closest to an incarnation of the Destructive Darkness and likely works to bring it about once more,” the blue-eyed dragon spoke. “While he does not have the full power, he can and I suspect does work on its behalf. Therefore, the best course of action for the moment, for the greatest good of the world, may be to let matters lie for the moment – until these children are old enough to deal with it for themselves.” 

Audhild tightened her arms around Johan. “What do you mean?” 

“They are Creation’s Light. The antithesis of Darkness’s Destruction. So long as they exist, the balance between the four is tenuous, but there.” The dragon considered for a few moments. “The balance was almost destroyed by the slaughter of the line of Destruction. It was advised against – but given Kuragari’s actions at the time, there were not many other actions that could be taken. While one line being so close to being destroyed risked much, if two such were exterminated, the world would tip towards destruction in all the worst ways.” 

Sanela shuddered. “What would that mean?” She thought she didn’t want to know. She knew that she needed to know. She would probably have to tell Yubel about it one day and Yubel would _definitely_ need to know. 

“It would mean death. And not the death that leads to rest and rebirth in the proper course of time, but _ending_. Whether the death is fast or slow I cannot say. It could come in the span of a mortal lifetime or in a thousand – a million – years from now. Or even longer. But we do not want this to happen, no matter what.” 

There would be no arguments on that. Audhild glanced around, then back to the dragons. “Can you help us get as far away from here as we can? We can’t stay here – your mountains are lovely and I’m sure that you’d protect the children as much as you can, but those Fallen Angels – I don’t want them to find the children _at all_ before they can protect themselves.” 

Again looks flew between the dragons, along with soft grumblings in a tongue that none of the three could understand. Finally the white dragon answered them. 

“We can arrange that. Opal – you have no tasks keeping you in this realm, do you?” 

“Just guarding my territory, but one of my siblings van do that if you need me to do something else,” Opal said, slinking closer. 

“This is your decision and your decision only. But someone needs to take these humans to the farthest point of the farthest realm away from here, and guard them as they grow. Speak to them of the realm of dragons and the realm of Norbu and how they were allied, and of what happened – and perhaps of the vengeance that we brought down on those who dared slaughter our friends.” 

The blue-eyed dragon raised her head and looked towards the others. “Such a trip will take many days, even with someone as swift as Opal to guide and guard you. You will need more food and more supplies. We will see to it that you have it.” She tilted her head in thought, then nodded. “Speak to no one who isn’t here at this council about the children being alive. Let the Fallen Angels believe for now that they have passed on. Let _everyone_ all over the world believe this. It will help to keep them safe.” 

There was more spoken of how to keep them safe and where they would go, but the three humans listened only a little. They were more interested in resting for now, tending to their charges, and relaxing in the knowledge that they would be safe from their enemies, as safe as dragons could make them. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** And so the world that Juudai will eventually enter starts to take shape. Just the edges of it. I’ll fill in the details as we go on.


	6. Chapter 6

**Universe:** Reversal|| **Series:** Ere Shadows Fall  
 **Title:** Call The Darkness  
 **Characters:** Anisha (OC), Fallen Angel Lucifer (OC), Audhild (OC), Sanela (OC), Sophia (OC)|| **Ships:** N/A  
 **Chapters:** 6-10|| **Chapter Words:** 4,661|| **Total Words:** 27,425  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: Reversal: L19, 5+ fics; Include The Word Boot Camp, #13, plausible; Completionist Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This is my reversal world. So, Juudai carries the power of the Destructive Darkness and the world consists of humans, monsters, and spirits. Every story in the **Ere Shadows Fall** line takes place pre-capture of Johan and Ryou. The latest will be the very beginning of Juudai’s conquest. This particular story here won’t tell everything and will feature Ocs and world building very heavily. Don’t worry, Juudai will be along in due time. He might not be very talkative when he first shows up, though. But here begins the foundation of the Reversal World and all that will come after.  
 **Special Note:** The implied relationship between Lucifer and Anisha is not consensual. Lucifer _isn’t_ a nice person. But it has a plot related purpose – and I’m sure you can guess what that is.  
 **Summary:** Before Haou’s ruthless conquest, before the rebellion, before such a person as Juudai even existed, there was a time of peace and plenty – and that time ended before he was born. Because he could not be born until that time ended and the balance was no more.

* * *

Anisha knew better than to trust a single word that came out of Lucifer’s mouth. He was a _Fallen Angel_ and if that wasn’t enough, she’d seen so much of what he’d done to Norbu. She replayed every moment of it in her mind – the way that he’d so casually torn her out of the temple, how he’d hovered over the city and brought it to ruins with spheres of pure power, of how he’d so easily wrecked every single bit of it, and clearly enjoyed each and every moment of it. 

That wasn’t even going into what he’d done after that. Vivid in her memories was the sensations of the nights she’d spent with him since then. Nights she didn’t _want_ to spend there but he knew exactly how to make her not think of anything but the passion uncoiling inside of her. 

She shook her head resolutely. He’d dropped her out of the sky. He’d come within a hair’s breadth of killing her. He’d mocked her because of her desire to live. 

Monsters would be ashamed of what he was. She wished there was a stronger word for what to call him. There just didn’t seem to be anything that really conveyed how much she hated him. 

The little bits of what she guessed were supposed to be kindness didn’t help matters. She knew they weren’t supposed to. He fed her because _he_ wanted her to live, not because he cared about her. Not as a person. He might possibly care about her as a possession, as a prize trophy. 

So she told herself again and again – she would wait for the chance to find a knife or some other weapon and drive it into him. Maybe she could find a spell that would peel him apart, but that wouldn’t be as quick as a blade. Spells required magic and skill – spells required the gift of magic itself. She had that, though not in the same measure that so many others that she knew did. 

Perhaps the High Priest could have done what she wanted to. He’d been old and tottering when the assault on the city happened, and as bit by it the defenses fell, she’d seen how he began to crumble himself, all of his weariness and age catching up to him. He’d finally requested that she do what she could to slow Lucifer down – however little that might be – and taken himself to the central room. 

She’d seen him there, kneeling before the altar, a sharp knife in front of him. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time. She’d thought too much about her mission, how to cast the spells and the wards and runes that would prevent Lucifer from getting in there. Then when he came, she’d been far too busy fleeing and then being captured to think about anything else at all. 

But now that she had the time to reflect, she wondered. 

_He knew that he wouldn’t survive if Lucifer made it into the sanctuary. Even if he did, he wouldn’t have survived what came afterward. No one could have._

Her heart spasmed softly at the thought of the old man. He’d been the closest thing to a father that she’d ever known. He’d taught her many skills over the years and instructed her in the worship of the Great Light of Creation, the antithesis of the corrupt Darkness of Destruction. 

Anisha wanted to think that whenever Lucifer touched her, what happened was a crawling of her skin and the intense desire to shove him away with all of her might. She did not want to think that her entire body shuddered and yearned for him, ached to be closer to him. She hated him with every ounce of her heart – she knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt. And yet a part of her still demanded to stay with him. 

For the chance to kill, she kept reminding herself, and no more. Nothing other than that. Never, ever, anything more than that. 

Lucifer’s fingers tucked her hair behind her ears, one arm sliding to fit around her stomach. “We have a little time before my army gets here,” he murmured. “How would you like to spend it?” 

Oh, she had a very good idea of what _he_ wanted to do. She fought back the desire that welled up in her from his touch, struggling to keep herself under her own control and not his. This was his doing, in some way that she didn’t understand. 

“Staying right here.” She wasn’t going to mention going home. He would just bring up the point that Norbu as she’d known it didn’t exist anymore. “And watching the river.” 

Lucifer chuckled and she shuddered at the feeling of his tongue caressing her ear. “I can think of something far more amusing to do with our time than that.” His arms grew tighter around her. “The river isn’t nearly as interesting as what I can do to you.” 

Part of her admitted that was true. She breathed in harshly and shook her head. “I’ve never seen this river before. It’s fascinating.” It really was, but the way that he touched her began to send all of those thoughts tumbling right out of her mind. 

“I can bring you back here some other time. If you earn such a boon from me, of course.” He let a small laugh echo as he nuzzled against her other ear. “Do you know how you’ll earn that from me?” 

Her heart stuttered and her breath caught in her throat as his hands moved over her. “Yes.” She could guess. Given what he was doing, it wasn’t that difficult at all. Her wings buzzed faster and faster and one of his hands moved to brush against them. 

“Then perhaps you should start earning my good will.” 

* * *

It took a handful of days before they were ready to move on again. Food that would be suitable for the three humans and their charges needed to be gathered and stored properly in their sacks. A decision on exactly where they were going to go needed to be reached. More plans on what sort of messages could or should be sent between Opal and the rest of her people needed to be decided on. There were other dragons from farther away who needed to be consulted about what was going on and informed of the untimely passing of Queen Bijou and her children. 

Audhild stood in the opening of the cave they’d kept as a home since the day they’d arrived here – one they’d been taken to after the meeting with the dragons. Outside the darkness stretched out, the sun being far below the horizon and the sky speckled with stars. She recognized a few of the constellations from her childhood, though she didn’t have a very good view of them from here. 

Johan lay asleep in his cradle a short distance away. She could keep an eye on him from where she was, and she never let him get out of her sight. She hadn’t been hired as a wet-nurse and everything she knew about taking care of babies came from having three younger siblings and whatever she’d picked up since leaving the palace. So far the baby hadn’t protested in the slightest. 

She truly would have listened if he had, though. 

_Great God Rainbow Dragon,_ she thought, turning her attention towards the all powerful deity of creation that she’d been taught to believe in from her earliest childhood. _These children are your bloodline. Your power lives in them. Please, help us get them to safety, to where they will be allowed to grow up and return to claim what his theirs one day._

She made a note to pray something to that effect every day. She wanted the triplets to avenge what happened. She hoped she could even live long enough to see it herself. She couldn’t count on that. If the slightest hint of where they were reached the Fallen Angels, then it would become her duty to sacrifice her life for the sake of the children. 

Audhild glanced towards the sleeping baby and blinked at what she saw. Or thought she saw – the faintest of images, scarcely more than a mildly filled in outline, sort of shaped like a squirrel or a house cat. She didn’t have the chance to see much more than that before whatever it was – if it even existed at all – faded away. 

“What was that?” She murmured, moving over to Johan. She saw nothing there now. Johan opened his eyes and giggled, tiny fists waving. A sweet smile wreathed his face and for a few seconds, she thought that his eyes tracked something that she couldn’t see. Then he closed them again and fell right back into the very deepest of slumbers. 

She’d heard tales of the power that the Rainbow Dragon possessed and the servants that it had. Different stories spoke of what form those servants took, but all the stories agreed that whatever form, the servants held great power of their own, and would guard their chosen zealously. 

But from what she’d heard – Audhild wasn’t certain of what to think. She bit her lip and shook her head. This was something that she knew almost nothing about and she wasn’t going to push herself on it. Instead, she tugged a blanket over the baby and went over to settle down on the chair she’d designated as her own. A single cushion, a bit threadbare but still comfortable, rested in the chair, and she closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to rest, though. She just let her attention drift, until she heard familiar steps and opened her eyes to see Sanela standing there. 

“What’s it like, taking care of Yubel?” Audhild asked. She’d wondered about that for both of them. But Sanela only shook her head. 

“Like taking care of any other baby. Yubel’s – Yubel’s special.” Sanela raised one hand and dropped it again before she curled up in her own chair. “They like flying.” 

Audhild stifled a laugh. “And you don’t.” None of them had missed that Sanela wanted nothing at all to do with flying. Whenever they had to go anywhere with Opal, she kept her eyes closed until they were back on the ground again. 

“I’m not meant to fly,” Sanela declared grimly. She turned to the table between them, where the map they’d used to decide on where they were going to take the triplets still rested. One hand moved to the representation of the country in one of the farthest south corners. “Are we certain this is the best place?” 

“I don’t think we have many other options.” Audhild leaned forward to examine the map again. “It’s very far from here and there aren’t any allies of the Fallen Angels in the area. Every realm there is either unallied to anyone up here or they’re allied to Queen Celestia, Queen Bijou’s foster sister.” 

Sanela nodded, though she didn’t quite look convinced. “I wish we could go there. It might be safer. it’s across the ocean and very well protected from the Fallen Angels.” 

“Maybe. But they are also very close to Brron’s territory and he is allied to the Fallen Angels,” Sophia pointed out, joining them. “If we went there and word spread, then Lucifer and his ilk would show up and I know we don’t want to bring that sort of danger anywhere else we go.” 

All three of them were agreed on that. Audhild turned to where the children slept and watched for a few moments. Once again she caught a glimpse of that faded, almost not there creature, and decided not to say anything. If it was what she thought it was, then it meant no harm. And if it wasn’t - well, if the other two couldn’t see it, then what could they do about it? If it were even really there. 

Besides, it kept Johan entertained, even if it wasn’t anything other than light on dust. She’d learned very fast that an entertained baby was a quiet baby. 

* * *

By the time the army caught up with them, Lucifer enjoyed himself to the hilt and he made certain that his concubine did as well. He did have a great deal of experience in doing that and it gave him something to do while waiting. 

His brothers could have caught up quickly, but when they didn’t, he suspected that they knew what he intended to do and made certain to give him privacy. If he’d wanted any of them to join in, he would have told them to come along. 

As it was, he was quite sated and pleased when they arrived, and ready to move on once more if they wanted to keep on the way home. He had Anisha’s arms caught around his waist once more and kept one arm around her. When the others came into sight, he spread his wings and they rose into the air once more. 

“All’s going well,” Asmodeus reported with a tilt of his wings for a salute. “No problems at all.” His lips twitched. “Though a couple of the generals have been getting a bit tipsy on some of their wine whenever we stop for a break.” 

Lucifer waved one hand. “As long as they keep it out of combat, I don’t care.” He would be the last person to punish a servant for indulging themselves, as long as they kept it more or less reasonable. “Camp here tonight, you think?” 

Asmodeus checked out the area as the army continued to pour over the river. “Probably a good idea. We’ve covered a lot of territory today. The rest will be good for everyone.” 

“Very well. Have my tent set up and a good meal waiting for us as soon as possible. We had a snack earlier but I want something more than fish.” He considered for a few seconds. “I want a good steak,” he decided, “and all the trimmings. But not the Kuragari wine, not tonight.” 

Asmodeus nodded; he would send the request to Lucifer’s personal cooks who rode in the baggage wagons. His tent would be the first set up, so that if any issues arose that he would need to deal with, he had somewhere to deal with them from. After his, then his brothers, and after them, the generals and officers, then spellcasters and healers, leaving the lowest ranking soldiers and the servants for last. It was a method that worked for them for a very long time. 

Lucifer ran his fingers through Anisha’s hair. “Are you ready to rest for a while, my pretty one?” 

“Don’t call me that,” she growled. “And don’t you ever _stop_?” 

“There are times. Besides, the ground is quite hard around here. I think I’d rather spend some time with you in my soft bed.” He headed back to the ground, his arm tightening around her as he settled down once more, then slid her cuffed wrists from around him. She could not have done this; that was what kept her bound to him. But he made the rules on certain points. “And I’m sure that you feel the same way.” 

“No!” She tried to pull herself away from him. Lucifer wasn't going to allow that, of course, and held her close against him. She kept on struggling, until he reached out, rested one finger against her forehead, and whispered a word that sent her collapsing into his arms, sound asleep. 

Asmodeus rolled his eyes. “You’re having too much fun with her. I’d almost be jealous. I’m sure Zerato _is_.” 

“I’ll have some fun with him later. He’s always enjoyed it when Desire and I played with him.” Lucifer scooped Anisha up into his arms. “Have him attend me later.” 

That got a nod from Asmodeus as Lucifer carried his plaything over to a wide strip of moss and settled her down there. Lucifer thought more of his own comfort than anything else, of course. That was what made him what he was. One of the many things, at least. 

Before the sun set all the way, casting pleasing night over the land, Lucifer’s tent had been raised, and he settled himself inside, tucking Anisha into the bed and going to his dining chamber. More and more his thoughts turned towards his home castle and what it would be like to be home again. Going out on campaign wearied him, but now that they were heading back, his energy grew greater with each breath. 

Something wasn’t quite the same about matters this time, though. His thoughts didn’t just focus around the pleasures of home – few of which he missed now. His enchanted tent kept him warm, dry, and supplied with whatever else he wanted, exactly like his castle at home. It wasn’t as big as his castle, of course, but even he had to accept some sacrifices when out in the field. He didn’t have all of his servants and slaves here either. Nor did he have _every_ single entertainment available to him. 

But those weren’t what he thought about the most. When he wasn’t distracting himself with sex or the details of marching and guiding the army, the awareness of the Darkness rose up in his thoughts relentlessly. 

It wasn’t just the thought of returning home. The Darkness wanted him back. It wanted to _talk_ to him. 

He would never, so long as he lived, forget what happened that first time that he’d ever heard the voice of the Darkness of Destruction. 

* * *

He’d scarcely bee fifteen, just old enough to go on flights of his own. His father, the leader of the Fallen Angels at the time, cautioned him that he should never go too far from their settlement alone. In those days, his realm hadn’t been the sprawling beauty that it was when he conquered Bijou. Then it was merely fifty or so homes where the Fallen Angels and those who served them in whatever capacity lived in a river valley. 

Even then, Lucifer wanted more. He knew that he’d be the leader of the Angels one day. But he wanted more – he wanted all of the world. Or he wanted as much of it as he could manage and he wanted it in any way that he could get it. 

But right now, he didn’t know how he would get it. Or could get it. He barely understood what he wanted, save in the formless nebula of _want_. 

He wandered out farther and farther from the settlement. He didn’t know where he was going most of the time and he cared even less. He just wanted to be away from them all. His father wanted him to learn his lessons, to learn magic and to fight, to meet with the children of other leaders and perhaps form alliances with them. He’d even indicated that it wasn’t completely ruled out for Lucifer to make an alliance marriage with someone. 

One day he flew far enough that he couldn’t see the river anymore, let alone any of their homes, and he came to a rise of mountains. He’d heard tales about dragons that lived in mountains, and it was half in search of them that he wandered around there, wondering what he would say to one if he met it. 

**Lucifer. Fallen Angel. You carry my blood.**

Lucifer’s head whirled around at once, wings spread wide, searching whoever had dared to speak _inside of his head_. Never before had he felt anything like that. 

“Who are you? Where are you?” 

**Come this way.**

At those words, Lucifer knew exactly where to go. Half-scrambling and half using his wings to go over rougher territory, he made his way to a small cave high in the mountains. Not even the roughest of trails led there and at first he wasn’t certain if he could make it. But then he stood on the smallest of ledges on the outside of it and stared into the half-hidden hole. 

There wasn’t anything inside of there. At least, what he saw was nothing but darkness. He stared at it, worrying at his lip. 

“Where are you? Are you in there?” He wasn’t sure who would be sitting around inside of a dark hole. Why would they? Maybe a shadow mage of some kind? He’d heard of those, though he hadn’t ever yet met one. His father promised to introduce him to some one day, claiming that they often allied to the Fallen Angels. 

**I am. You see me, Lucifer. As I see you. Reach your hand inside.**

Lucifer hesitated for a few moments. He’d seldom done what anyone but his father wanted him to. He was, after all, the son of the leader. He was a prince. He could follow his own decisions and not have to be told what to do – except by his father. 

**I can change that. I can make certain that you take no one else’s orders.** A soft ripple of a noise that was vaguely like an emotion at the same time. **Except for mine. But I believe you and I want the same things. We want to rule. We want to destroy. We want it all to be ours.** And now a breath of something that wasn’t hesitance, but more like a pause for effect. **We want the Creation and the Hope to _be no more_**. 

Lucifer swallowed. Never had he so much as breathed a word of that to his father or to anyone else in all of his people. “How did you know that?” 

**Because you are of my blood. You are not _me_ \- not like my incarnation would be. But you carry my blood. You can be – you will be – of great use to me. Reach your hand inside to me.**

Lucifer steeled himself. This probably wouldn’t end well – maybe not for other people. He would find that out. He reached his hand inside, trying to imagine what else could happen. A hand would touch back? A tongue? Something he couldn’t even imagine? 

That last came the closest. As his hand entered, darkness fell all around him. It had been far closer to noon than it was to sunset, but he could see nothing anywhere, no matter how hard he tried. There wasn’t even a single star, let alone the silver sphere of the moon. 

But now he knew exactly who – or what – it was there that surrounded him now. It was the Darkness of Destruction itself. He’d heard a few tales. Most of the Fallen Angels didn’t like to talk about it, especially not to him. But he knew enough. He knew that the Darkness wanted him and that he would do whatever that it wanted, because as nothing else ever had, it _understood_ him. 

“What do you want me to do?” Lucifer murmured, accepting this with all of his heart. He could feel the power coursing through his veins as nothing else ever had. “Can I have more? Please?” 

He thought it laughed at him. He wasn’t sure if it was a mocking laugh or not. But it was still a laugh. 

**No. This is all that you can carry. But I will need an incarnation. You are one of those few left of my bloodline. You will provide this for me.**

Lucifer shivered, folding his wings about himself. “I don’t know how. And I thought your bloodline _was_ destroyed.” That was one tale that everyone would be willing to speak of while he was around. The tale of the old Kuragari empire, how it has risen to great power with the force of the incarnate Destructive Darkness, and how Creation and Hope banded together to overthrow it in the old days, slaughtering all of the bloodline that they could find. 

**Four generations before my incarnation of that time, there were twins born. One stayed to rule Kuragari. One set off into the world, amusing themselves wherever they pleased, and with whomsoever they pleased. You are descended from that one. Therefore, you carry my blood.** Another noise that was something of a laugh. **No bloodline can truly be destroyed. We are too widespread. Though I have plans to change that.**

Lucifer nodded. He wasn’t sure if he could breathe or what he breathed, except the endless Darkness all around him. 

**We have a great deal to do. I want you to bring your people – our people – here. Build a temple to me here. On this very spot.**

But Lucifer frowned at that. “My lather won’t want to leave where we are. He says it’s a good place.” 

**Your father isn’t going to make the decisions anymore. Go to him. Tell him what I have told you. When he answers – then you will know what to do.**

Between one blink and the next, Lucifer found himself seated outside of the cave again. The sun dipped onto the far side now, not dark just yet, but far closer than it had been when he’d first heard the Darkness’s voice. Lucifer stared at it before he turned his back on the sun and to the cave of darkness. 

**Go. I will be with you.**

He stood up, resting one hand on the lip of the cave before he spread his wings wide and took off, hurtling his way back to the settlement. He’d never felt so full of energy in his entire life. Every sweep of his wings took him closer back home – or was that away from his new home? That took some time for him to figure out. 

When he landed outside of the hut that he shared with his family, he found himself wondering why they had to live in such a small place. They needed more room – their family wasn’t small. But his father still seemed to think this was big enough for everyone. 

He hadn’t even had time to pull his wings in and enter before his father emerged. “You’re late,” his father declared the moment their eyes met. “You should have been home hours ago.” 

Lucifer paid no attention. “I found us a new place to live,” he said, unable to stop the wide grin spilling over his features. “It’s up in the mountains – and we’re gong to erect a temple to the Darkness of Destruction there. It’s called to me. It _wants_ me.” 

His father stared at him. Never before had Lucifer seen such _fear_ in someone's eyes – let alone his own father’s. “No. This is our home. If we go anywhere else, then we are _not_ going to the mountains. We’re staying as far from there as we can.” 

Lucifer shook his head. The idea of doing otherwise simply didn’t occur to him. He wanted to go back right now but he knew he couldn’t. He had to do what the Darkness wanted – he wanted to do what it wanted. “We’re going, father. We can go be cause you agreed – or because you don't.” 

The words fell from him without thought. His father started to raise one hand. “No! All that does is cause pain. It destroys everything that it touches. It’s foul and it’s wrong. You know that. I know that you do. If it’s talked to you-” 

“It has. And I know.” Lucifer smiled. He knew now what the Darkness meant. He accepted it with every bit of himself. “And I don’t care.” 

His hand moved forward, quick as a thought. Held between his fingers was a shard of shadow, a blade could not be seen or felt by anyone unless he chose it to be, and it slammed between his father’s ribs. The older angel’s eyes widened in shock and his lips formed the syllables of Lucifer's name before the life faded from his eyes and he fell backwards. 

And from that moment on, Lucifer ruled over the Fallen Angels. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** As of August 5, 2020, this story is on indefinite hiatus. I intended to restart in September, but YGO GX Month came up and it gave me ideas. So, once that’s taken care of, I’ll return to my WIPs.


End file.
